tihvavy  of  Cbe  Cheolojical  ^tminaxy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


•a^D- 


PRESENTED  BY 

Rufus  H.    LeFevre 


Th  e  Flag 


mmmmm 


...  .  ^78. 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/victoriesunderflOOunit 


Uncted     bre.tv\reT>    in    Oarvst. 


Victories    Under 
the   Flas 


Achievements  Wrought  l^y  a  Few  of  Our 
Home  Missionaries  in  Needy  Places 
in   both   City  and    Country  in   America 


United  Brethren  Home  Missionary  Society 

904  U.  B.  Building,  Dayton,  Ohio 

—  1914  — 


This  booklet  is  published  that  the  friends  of  Home  Alissions 
maj^  know  in  part  what  has  been  and  is  being  accomplished  by  the 
faithful  men  and  women  who  are  giving  their  lives  to  publish  the 
"good  news"  of  the  risen  Lord  and  Savior,  in  the  needy  places  in 
both  country  and  city  in  America.  Let  no  one  think  that  the  in- 
cidents given  and  the  places  named  are  all  that  are  at  hand.  We 
have  taken  onlj^  a  few  out  of  the  many,  because  the  space  in  a  book 
of  this  size  cannot  do  justice  even  to  what  are  given.  Neither 
should  any  one  think  that  these  notes  of  victory  are  the  only 
marked  successes,  for  others  could  have  been  secured  just  as  im- 
portant, and  in  some  instances  from  the  same  city,  but  we  have 
drawn  from  all  parts  of  our  country,  from  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  to 
San   Diego,   California. 

We  are  happy  to  say  that  the  victories  are  general,  and  those 
that  are  not  given  here  are  just  as  worthy  and  the  work  wrought 
is  with  as  much  self-denial  as  anj'  presented  in  the  f(jllowing  pages. 
The  facts  are  furnished  !)y  the  pastors  in  charge,  and  as  these  are 
appreciated,  the  Society  wnnld  be  glad  to  furnish,  in  later  publi- 
cations, more  of  the   triumphs  from  the   firing  line. 


Our  Home  Mission  Work     An  Appreciation 

Hisiiop  11.  II.  F(ji;t, 
President  of  Home  Mission  Board. 

A  DISTINCT  emphiisis  upon  missionary  work  both  at  home  and  abroad 
has  characterized  the  past  decade  of  our  denominational  history. 
Xo  greater  evidence  of  spiritual  life  could  be  named  than  this  single 
fact.  The  church  is  missionary  in  design  and  must  be  such  in 
fact  or  it  must  perish.  The  growth  of  Christian  character,  and  hence  of 
church  power,  lies  along  this  line.  Miss.ions  represent  the  highest  ministry 
which  man  can  exercise,  and  which  man  can  receive — the  ministry  of  making 
(iod  known  to  man— they  are  the  church's  crowning  glory. 

Our  Home  ^lissionary  Society  is  now  completing  its  ninth  year  of 
life  and  service.  The  history  of  its  work  during  this  brief  though  eventful 
period,  has  not  a  single  dull  cliapter.  This  would  be  the  testimony  of  all 
who  are  familiar  with  its  struggles  and  who  have  marked  its  successes,  as  well 
as  those  who  have  had  to  do  witli  its  administrative  affairs.  Prior  to  the 
organization  of  the  Society  which  dates  from  the  General  Conference  of 
1905,  the  work  in  the  homo  field  was  in  charge  of  the  Home,  Frontier,  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society.  At  that  time  fifty-nine  missions  were  being 
supported  in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  In  less  than  a  decade,  the  Home 
]\rission  Society  has  assisted  in  establishing  two  hundred  and  seventy-two 
missions.  One  hundred  and  forty  of  these  have  become  self  supporting, 
while  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  are  now  being  sustained  in  whole  or  in 
part  by  the  society — a  record  that  is  nothing  short  of  marvelous. 

These  two  hundred  and  seventy-two  new  altars  of  Jehovah  are  all  sacred 
possessions,  sacred  because  of  what  they  have  cost  in  money,  but  more  sacred 
for  what  they  have  cost  in  suffering  and  heroism,  and  because  of  the  tran- 
substantiating touch  of  love  and  of  loyalty.  Their  value  as  represented  by 
thousands  of  souls  to  whom  the  gospel  has  been  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation,  and  by  many  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  property,  is  infinitely 
beyond  their  cost  in  tears,  prayers,  and  sacrificing  endeavor.  The  means  em- 
ployed have  been  in  many  instances  multiplied  like  the  loaves  and  fishes. 
Three  years  ago  a  young  man  was  converted  in  one  of  our  missions  in 
Montana.  He  innuediately  gave  up  his  position  as  clerk  in  a  railroad  ofiiee 
to  enter  the  ministry,  and  is  now  one  of  the  most  efficient  workers  in  the 
conference.  His  enthusiasm  has  been  contagious.  Since  the  last  conference 
session  in  October,  he  has  built  a  church  in  a  needy  community  without  out- 
side aid.  A  gracious  revival  followed.  He  is  now  planning  a  second  enter- 
prise of  the  kind.  Another  instance  is  that  of  the  AYeaver  Memorial  Church 
in  Chicago,  which  has  the  distinction  of  having  sent  from  its  communion 
ten  ministers,  among  whom  is  Rev.  E.  J.  Pace,  probably  one  of  the  most 
talented  and  consecrated  missionaries  of  the  Philippine  Islands.  Similar 
cases  might  be  given  indefinitely. 

But  tabulated  results  cannot  measure  adequately  llie  value  and  dignity 
of  such  a  ministry.  It  is  easy  to  overlook  the  silent  forces  and  influences 
of  the  work  of  love.  There  are  those  who  cannot  appreciate  a  message  with- 
out figures.  Some  part  of  our  home  mission  work  has  been  told  and  the 
results  tabulated;  but  the  best  part  has  been  chronicled  by  the  recording 
angel.  The  touch  of  ]\[idas  is  said  to  have  changed  the  baser  metals  into  gold, 
but  the  touch  of  God  converts  the  ministry  of  the  consecrated  missionary, 
and   the   money   paid   for   his   support   into   the   very   coin   of   heaven.      The 


establishing  of  a  cliurch  is  of  far-reaching  significance — ever  acting  and 
reacting  upon  character  and  life,  its  influence  lives  on  forever.  Eternity 
alone  can  reveal  its  good  results. 

This  review  would  be  incomplete  without  an  appreciation  of  the  splendid 
educational  work  of  the  society  which  explains  the  remarkable  growth  of 
interest  in  home  missions  throughout  the  denomination  within  the  recent 
past.  People  can  be  brought  into  effective  sympathy  with  a  great  cause 
only  when  they  are  mada  to  see  and  feel  its  importance.  Facts  are  the 
fuel  that  kindles  the  fire  of  missionary  enthusiasm.  If  any  good  enterprise 
is  to  succeed  there  must  be  information  given  as  to  facts,  education  as  to 
duty,  and  inspiration  to  action.  In  the  training  of  the  mission  churches, 
the  education  has  been  broad  as  the  interests  of  our  Lord's  kingdom  in  the 
earth.  There  is  absolute  loyalty  to  every  department  of  the  work  of  the 
church.  From  each  little  mission,  influences  are  going  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth. 

The  outlook  of  the  society  is  expressed  in  the  one  word  "Opportunity." 
It  is  a  matter  of  encouragement  and  inspiration  that  with  each  day  new 
strength  is  gained,  promising  better  and  more  successful  to-morrows.  The 
limited  means  now  at  command  must  be  multiplied  by  four,  and  the  forces 
proportionately  increased  if  the  efforts,  of  the  society  are  to  be  commensurate 
with  the  natural  growth  of  the  work ;  but  let  us  pause  to  remember  that 
the  need  and  call  of  the  hov;r  is  primarily  deeper  than  these.  At  the  open 
door  of  opportunity  we  must  wait  for  the  one  supreme  equipment  that  will 
impart  power  equal  to  the  task,  and  make  the  missionary  heart  of  the  church 
equal  to  her  missionary  opportunity. 

^     .^8     .*e 

The  Mother  of  Three 

Rev.  O.  T.  Deever. 

TELESCOPE  Memorial  Church,  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  is  jiist  six 
years  old.  Recently  the  sixth  anniversary  of  the  first  service  held 
in  our  commodious  and  splendidly  located  church  was  observed.  This 
church  is  situated  in  a  growing  section  of  one  of  the  greatest 
centers  in  the  West. 

Since  coming  to  Kansas  City  fifteen  months  ago,  homes  and  apartments 
to  accommodate  sixty-five  families  have  been  built  within  two  blocks  of  the 
church.  This  shows  how  rapidly  the  population  is  thickening  about  us. 
The  new  Union  Station  is  within  two  and  a  half  miles. 

These  six  years  have  been  years  of  struggle  and  trial,  but  years  of 
victory.  Starting  without  a  member  or  a  dollar  we  have  to-day  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  members  with  property  valued  conservatively  at  $30,000.  There 
is  on  this  an  indebtedness  not  provided  for  of  about  $5,500.  Dr.  F.  E. 
Brooke  has  undertaken  the  task  of  providing  for  the  debt  on  the  church  and 
if  the  denomination  rallies  as  it  should  there  is  hope  that  the  burden  of 
debt  will  be  soon  lifted. 

The  church  is  hopeful  and  earnest.  The  services  are  well  attended,  the 
house  being  often  crowded.  Recently  fifteen  new  members  have  been  added, 
making  sixty-five  new  members  in  fifteen  nionths.  A  number  more  have 
promised  to  unite  with  the  church  soon. 

The  Sunday  school  is  well  organized  and  nearly  every  Sunday  shows  an 
increase  in  attendance.  A  promising  Intermediate  society,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  !Miss  Ethel  Kephart,  superintendent,  is  growing  rapidly.  Also  a 
vigorous  Junior  with  a  dozen  members,  under  the  leadership  of  Miss  Florence 
Williams,  superintendent,  was  organized  last  Sunday.      The  Senior  society, 


under  tlic  energretic  leadership  of  Mr.  II.  T.  Nelson,  one  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
secretaries  of  the  city,  is  doinj?  the  best  work  in  its  history. 

From  this  church  started  six  years  ap:o,  three  other  well-organized  churches 
have  been  added  to  the  list  of  United  Brethren  churches  in  the  city.  The 
University  also  has  a  union  Sunday  school  and  preaching  services  in  con- 
nection with  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church. 

And  last,  but  not  least,  Telescope  Memorial  Church  is  just  starting  a 
mission  Sunday  school  one  mile  south  in  a  cluster  of  homes  and  business 
section.      This  is  expected  to  become  a  feeder  for  the  mother  church. 

!Miss  Grace  Muncie,  of  Olney,  Illinois,  has  been  employed  by  the  Home 
Mission  Board  to  take  up  deaconess  work,  and  with  the  large  number  of  out- 
side people  interested  and  looking  toward  meml)ership  in  the  church 
there  is  no  reason  but  that  in  a  few  years  this  church  will  be  strong  and 
doing  a  great  work  for  our  beloved  Zion.  Look  out  for  good  news  from 
Telescope  Alcmorial. 


No  Hoodoo  in  "1313" 

lii:v.  C.  R.  Fralick. 

FRIDAY,  the  13th,  in  the  month  of  May,  1910,  a  home  missionary  moved 
into  house  No.  1313,  in  West  11th  Street  of  a  thriving  city  of  the 
Central  West,  a  city  of  eighteen  thousand  inhabitants.  No  en- 
thusiastic church  members  or  friends  were  present  to  give  him  the 
glad  hand  and  no  invitations  were  given  to  "Come  to  our  house  and  let  us 
provide  for  you  imtil  your  house  is  in  order."  No  item  appeared  in  the  local 
papers,  and  the  owner  of  "1313,"  the  transfer  man,  and  the  freight  agent 
constituted  about  all  the  persons  that  knew  of  the  newcomer. 

The  Church  Erection  Society  had  been  on  the  ground  and  two  lots  in  a 
growing  section  of  the  city  had  been  purchased.  About  the  first  business 
transaction  was  an  order  given  to  the  jirinter  for  blank  notes  with  which  sub- 
scriptions were  to  be  taken  for  the  erection  of  a  new  biiilding.  The  first 
one  was  signed  eleven  days  later  and  it  was  for  three-tenths  of  one  hundred 
dollars. 

August  28  was  the  time  selected  for  the  organization  of  a  Sunday  school. 
Neat  cards  announcing  the  opening  day  were  backed  up  by  a  house-to-house 
canvass.  Eighty-three  were  present  the  first  day.  Then  September  11  was 
designated  as  the  day  for  the  organization  of  a  class  and  thirty-one  persons 
united.  A  revival  added  twenty-five,  making  fifty-six  members  on  the  roll 
at  the  time  of  the  ground-breaking,  ]\[arch  31,  1911.  The  corner-stone  was 
laid  June  18,  1911,  and  on  (he  fourteenth  day  of  April,  1912,  the  completed 


On   the   Main   Street,   Coffeyville.    Kansas. 

5 


building  wns  dedicated.  The  class  had  been  organized  j\ist  nineteen  months 
and  three  days.  The  property  is  valued  at  $15,000  with  a  debt  of  about 
$4,000  with  subscriptions  enough  to  cover  about  half  of  this  debt. 

The  membership  has  made  a  steady  growth;  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
members  having  been  received,  ninety-three  of  whom  found  their  Savior 
at  the  altar  of  this  mission  church  of  three  and  a  half  years.  The  present 
membership  is  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine. 

On  the  walls  of  the  Sunday-school  room  hangs  a  gold  premium  standard 
issued  by  our  Sunday  School  Board;  graded  lessons  having  been  used  since 
the  beginning  of  the  school.  The  beginners'  duplex  envelopes  are  being  used 
for  the  second  year  in  the  entire  school.  Every  scholar  makes  an  offering 
every  Sunday  for  benevolences.  The  offerings  will  average  three  and  a 
half  to  four  cents  per  scholar.  A  boys'  class  composed  of  sixteen  members, 
from  twelve  to  fourteen,  gave  $1.14  two  weeks  ago.  The  Christian  Endeavor 
has  been  doing  excellent  work.  The  latest  organization  is  that  of  an  Ot- 
terbein  Guild.  In  less  than  two  years  after  the  organization  of  our  work 
in  this  thriving  city  a  want  ad.  appeared  in  one  of  the  city  papers  stating  a 
party  wanted  "to  buy  a  modern  house  of  five  to  seven  rooms,  but  it  must 
not  be  more  than  eight  blocks  from  the  U.  B.  Church."  A  banker  stated 
to  the  pastor  that  we  were  better  established  in  the  city  at  the  end  of  two 
years  than  was  any  other  church  in  the  city  at  the  end  of  twenty-five  years, 
taking  into  account  the  property  acquired  in  that  time.  One  of  our  general 
oflicers  inquired  at  one  of  the  banks  as  to  the  location  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church  and  he  was  told  to  turn  west  on  the  main  street  and  he  would  find 
"a  large  brick  structure  on  the  corner."  These  things  have  been  accomplished 
because  of  the  support  given  the  pastor  and  the  church  by  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  and  the  assistance  of  a  loan  for  the  erection  of  the  building 
by  the  Church  Erection  Society.  These  figures  could  be  duplicated  in 
numerous  places  if  the  Home)  Missionary  Society  had  the  money  to  enter 
unoccupied  territory. 

We  are  now  in  tlie  midst  of  a  "Hot  Air  and  Smoke  Campaign"  with  a 
"spectacular  demonstration,"  schechiled  to  take  place  April  12,  101-1.  The 
goal  is  set  at  $.5,000  cash.  These  facts  may  be  verified  by  a  visit  to  Coffey- 
ville,  Kansas. 

.j«      ,t      .'« 

The  Spanish  Boy  Who  Stood  Alone 

Mfss  Mkllik  Pkrkins. 

SOME  (if  our  people  may  question  whether  the  Mission  School  among  our 
Spanisli-American    neighbors    is    a    much    needed    institution    or    not. 
If    any    one    doubts   for    a    moment    the    great    need    of    such    institu- 
tions,   a    visit    to    the    densely    populated    Spanish    districts    of    New 
Mexico  would  convince  them  otherwise. 

It  is  impossible  for  one  to  conceive  of  such  ignorance  and  superstitions 
as  still  prevail  in  sections  of  our  own  beloved  United  States.  It  is  true 
that  in  some  sections  of  New  Mexico  the  public  schools  are  coming  to  the 
front  by  leaps  and  bounds,  while  at  the  same  time  in  other  sections  they  are 
making  no  perceptible  advance.  You  may  ask  why  this  is.  The  answer  is 
easy.  Where  the  Si)anish-American  settlements  are  found,  there  Rome  is 
firmly  established  and  has  been  for  years  and  years  and  did  you  ever  know  the 
church  of  Rome  to  do  much  to  enlighten  or  advance  her  subjects?  Beyond  a 
doubt,  the  priest  says  who  shall  teach  certain  schools  and  who  shall  not, 
and  nine  out  of  ten  arc  taught  by  Catholics  who  have  had  very  little  prepara- 
tion, oftentimes  not  lieyou'l  the  fifth  grade  in  the  poor  common  schools. 
It  is  the  priest's  idea   to  teach  the  i)Upil   only   enough   to  learn  his  prayers 

6 


-md  catechism,  for  o<lucation  means  enlifrhtenment,  an<l  enliiilitenment  means 
advancement,  and  advnneem'-nt  means  death  to  certain  teachings  and  prac- 

ticcs 

The  people  of  these  districts  are  awaken inj;-  to  tlie  need  of  an  education 
and  are  turninfr  to  the  Mission  School  for  help.  While  we  are  responding  to 
their  crv  for  knowledge  of  hooks,  we  must,  hy  placing  the  consecrated  men  and 
women  in  our  schools,  develop  the  moral  and  spiritual  side  as  well.  One 
is  usually  as  dormant  as  the  other. 

Allow  me  to  give  hriefly  the  history  of  one  inan's  hie  that  will  show  you 
how  difficult  it  is  for  one  xo  stand  alone  against  the  church  of  Rome,  es- 
pecially one  of  this  race  who  are  naturally  timid  and  superstitious. 

A  numher  of  years  ago  in  Taos  County  lived  a  lanuly  consisting  ot 
father,  mother,  and  nineteen  children.  The  parents  were  iiriii  Catliolics  and 
as  usual  the  father  a  confiruied  drunkard. 

A  Preshyterian  Mission  and  School  had  Ik-cii  (.stnlihshcd  at  1  aos  but 
these  children  were  forbidden  to  attend.  The  hero  of  my  story  was  a  little 
bolder  than  the  rest  and   instead  of  going  to  mass  he  attended   the  Mission 


'•U.  Ilausoi-  and  AVife  Mission  Scliool."  Velarde. 

services  and  in  a  short  time  the  seed  sown  had  found  good  soil  and  taken  deep 
root  which  in  due  time  brought  forth  fruit.  At  his  first  confession  he  called 
the  Padre  a  liar,  wliich  of  course,  brought  him  into  discredit  and  upon  being 
reprimanded  and  questioned,  he  denounced  the  whole  Catholic  faith  and 
stood  alone  for  the  Bible  and  Protestantism. 

Xot  being  able  to  change  his  young  heart  by  persuasion  or  force,  his 
mother  forbade  him  a  home  and  at  the  tender  age  of  thirteen  lie  was  sent 
into  the  c(dd  world  to  shift  for  himself.  He  became  a  sheep-herder  and  in 
the  meant iiiH'  he  carried  with  him  his  Bible  that  the  good  missionary  had 
given  him  and  read  it  and  in-ayed  for  his  own  that  they  might  see  the  light 
as  lie  had  He  was  privileged  to  attend  the  Mission  School  four  months  when 
he  learncnl  better  to  read  and  write,  this  being  the  only  schooling  he  ever 
liad.     He   thouuht    kindly    of   his   parents   and   sent   his   mother  his   earnings 


until  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  married  a  Protestant  girl  and  set  np  a 
Christian  home  (so  few  were  known  at  that  time  in  these  sections).  It  was 
now  that  his  real  troubles  began  for  he  was  unmercifully  persecuted  and  he 
often  looks  back  upon  those  dark  days  and  wonders  how  he  ever  endured  so 
much  and  yet  when  he  reads  the  "Precious  Book"  and  realizes  how  much  the 
Master  endured  for  the  world  he  feels  his  sufferings  were  as  naught  in  com- 
parison. 

Under  somewhat  peculiar  circumstances  his  young  wife  died  leaving  him 
with  five  small  children  to  care  for.  He  again  married.  This  time  a  girl 
from  the  Mission  School  at  Albuquerque,  whose  father  had  been  cruelly 
murdered  becaiise  of  his  stand  for  Protestantism.  Among  the  older  of  this 
family  of  children  is  Miss  Susanita,  the  Spanish  girl  in  training  at  our 
"R.  Hauser  -and  Wife  Mission  School"  at  Velarde.  The  parents'  fondest 
hopes  for  this  girl  have  always  been  that  she  might  become  a  mission  teacher 
and  establish  a  school  for  those  of  her  own  race,  hoping  that  they  might 
somehow  provide  the  means  for  such  a  school,  both  realizing  how  much  the 
influence  of  these  institutions  means  to  the  Spanish- American  race. 


Adobe  Mission  Rcsidencp,  "Minnie  riioel<  Memorial  Home." 


I  hope  a  few  girls'  classes  in  the  Sabbath  schools  will  become  interested  in 
the  story  of  Susanita's  father  and  help  her  complete  her  education.  She  will 
finish  the  eighth  grade  this  year  and  be  ready  for  high  school  next  fall.  She 
is  willing  to  work  for  her  board  but  needs  books,  clothing,  and  some  money 
for  incidentals.      Who  will  help? 

I  might  add  that  the  brother's  stand  for  Protestantism  was  the  means 
with  but  one  exception,  of  all  the  brothers  and  sisters  and  the  mother,  later 
taking  a  stand  against  Catholicism  and  becoming  Christians,  uniting  with 
various  branches  of  the  Protestant  churches.  The  families  of  these  are 
scattered  throughout  several  counties.  Children  and  grandchildren  are 
standing  for  the  right.  Some  are  in  one  occupation  and  some  in  another, 
all  to  the  credit  of  brave  missionaries  who  dared  isolation  and  the  cruel 
hand  of  Rome,  and  established  a  mission  and  school  where  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  was  told  as  never  before  to  this  dying  and  sin-cursed  people. 
This  is  but  a  small  army  compared  with  those  who  have  since  found  the 
light,  and  the  work  is  going  on  and  on  and  on.  The  end  is  not  yet.  Praise 
His  name. 


No  Longer  "Haunted" 

Rev.  W.  O.  Jones. 

IN  1906,  the  East  Nebraska  Conference  took  steps  to  open  a  mission  in 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  in  connection  with  the  Home  Missionary  Society. 
Not  until  after  the  close  of  the  Seminary  year,  1907,  was  any  definite 
move  made  to  project  this  work,  when  Rev.  M.  O.  McLaughlin,  a 
i^raduate  of  the  Seminary,  was  sent  to  Omaha  to  study  the  situation  with 
a  view  to  locating  a  United  Brethren  Church.  After  thoroughly  familiarizing 
himself  with  the  city,  the  present  site,  Nineteenth  and  Lothrop  streets,  was 
selected.  A  brick  binlding,  formerly  used  by  the  Universalists,  and  known 
in  the  city  as  the  old  "haunted  church,"  stood  upon  this  comer.  The  Univer- 
salists wanted  to  sell.  We  wanted  to  buy  and  buy  we  did.  Since  that  time, 
thousands  of  dollars  had  to  be  put  into  repair.  This  was  made  possible  only 
through  the  generosity  of  our  many  friends  throughout  the  denomination. 

But  what  have  we  now,  you  ask  ?      A  corner  lot  in  one  of  the  best  resi- 
dent sections  of  the  city.      A  brick  building  with  twelve  rooms,  four  of  which 


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Trustees  of  Ilarfcud   Memorial   Clmrcli,   Omaha,   Xebraska. 


are  occupied  by  the  janitor,  a  gymnasium  used  three  nights  a  week  minis- 
tering to  five  nationalities,  seven  other  rooms  used  for  public  worship  and 
Sunday-school  purposes.  The  janitor's  apartments  and  the  gymnasium  have 
all  been  added  since  the  purchase  of  the  property,  the  work  of  excavating 
for  the  gymnasium  having  been  done  by  the  men  of  the  church.  Just 
east  of  the  church  is  a  new,  modern,  eight-room  parsonage  whicli  was  built 
since  the  church  was  bought. 

Rev.  Mr.  McLaughlin,  called  to  the  presidency  of  York  College  last  fall, 
made  the  report  to  the  conference,  which  showed  a  combined  valuation  of 
church  and  parsonage  of  $;j1.000,  or  at  this  time  a  net  valuation  of  $22,000. 

The  resident  membershi]-)  at  present  is  one  hundred  and  twenty,  and 
the  non-resident  forty-four.  The  average  attendance  of  the  Sunday  school 
is  about  one  hundred.  At  this  time  we  are  running  three  classes  in  physical 
culture.  On  Monday  night  we  have  a  boys'  class  of  about  twenty.  These 
are  boys  nine  to  thirteen  years  of  age.  On  Tuesday  night,  the  ladies  and 
girls  use  the  gym.      This  class  has  an  enrollment  of  thirty-five.      On  Thurs- 

9 


day  night,  we  have  a  class  of  boys  ranging  from  fourteen  to  seventeen  years 
of  age  and  about  twenty  in  number.  We  are  helping  to  build  stronger 
bodies  for  at  least  seventy-iive  women,  girls,  and  boys  in  this  department. 
At  least  five  nationalities  and  as  nuiuy  churches  are  represented  in  our 
physical  culture  department. 

There  are  about  thirty-five  in  the  Ladies'  Aid  and  Woman's  Missionary 
Association.  These  women  have  undertaken  to  raise  $1,000  this  year  on  the 
debt.  These  ladies  meet  every  week  for  regular  work  and  at  this  time 
are  meeting  again  by  sectio?is  on  Saturday  for  special  work.  The  budget 
for  this  little  mission  church  this  year  is  $3,000.  I  wonder  what  some  of 
the  old  established  churches  will  think  of  that.  This  little  band  will  pay  this 
year  for  benevolences  $250. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  in  Omaha  has  a  name  and  standing 
second  to  none  in  the  city.  What  do  we  need '(  Just  what  every  church 
in  the  denomination  needs  to  do  effective  work  and  meet  the  expectancy  of 
the  great  head  of  the  church.  Friends  whose  friendship  gets  lower  down 
than  their  lips.  Friends  whose  friendship  is  expressed  in  deeds  not  words 
only.  What  of  the  future?  Building  a  bigger,  better,  busier  church  is  our 
slogan.  A  more  regular  attendance  on  the  part  of  the  membership,  a  larger 
membership,  and  the  deepening  of  the  spiritual  life  are  some  of  the  things 
that  we  are  emphasizing  at  this  time.  The  Home  Missionary  and  Church 
Erection  societies,  the  money  and  prayers  of  many  individmils,  have  made 
our  work  with  its  present  degree  of  success  possible.      Has  it  paid? 

-■*      ,M      -•« 

The  "Sand"  and  "Go"  in  San  Diego 

Kkv.  H.  C.  Shaffer. 

WHEN    you    make    up    your    lists    for    hero-worship,    write    down    the 
names  of  the  charter  members  of  a  home  mission  church,  who  for 
the  love  of  the  Church  that  gave  them  spiritual  birth  and  nurture, 
faced  the  task  of  a  church  enterprise  imafraid. 
At   San   Diego,   Califoriiia,   these   invincibles   were:      Rev.   and  Mrs.   D. 
Showley,  Rev.  James  Johnsoa,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  R.  O.  Hoffman,  Vesta  Hoffman, 
Lyle  Hoffman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lohr,  Perry  Lohr,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Lohr, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.   Charles  Boughman. 

Rev.  D.  Showley,  of  St.  Joseph  Conference,  organized  the  church,  July  5. 
1908,  and  served  as  the  first  pastor.  He  did  his  work  well  and  was  permitted 
to  preach  once  in  the  new  church,  before  his  translation.  Dr.  R.  O.  Hoffman, 
formerly  of  Hicksville,  Ohio,  was  the  first  superintendent,  followed  by  Rev. 
D.  Whitesell  and  F.  M.  Hoffman.  Dr.  Hoffman  was  again  elected  previous 
to  entering  the  new  church.  Under  his  leadership,  the  Sunday  school 
reached  an  enrollment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  an  attendance  of  nearly 
one  hundred.  Miss  Mabel  Shunl?:,  of  Fostoria,  Ohio,  is  the  present  efficient 
superintendent. 

Rev.  Hon:ier  Gallaher  was  the  second  pastor,  and  served  for  three  years. 
He  gathered  a  membership  totaling  thirty-three,  nurtured  the  young  cluirch 
and  finall.v  housed  it  in  a  hall  combined  with  a  rooming  house,  which  tlie 
Ladies'  Aid  managed.  These  were  testing  years  and  no  one  will  fully 
know  the  sacrifices  and  sufferings  endured  by  these  devoted  leaders,  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  Gallaher. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  city  appealed  to  the  church  authorities,  and  in 
June,  1911,  Rev.  H.  C.  Shaffer  was  appointed  pastor  and  assured  that  he 
would  be  assisted  by  both  the  Home  Missionary  and  Church  Erection 
societies.        He   arrived    in   the   city    in    September   and    innnediately    began 

10 


search  for  a  suitable  location.  A  trip  East  to  secure  funds  was  cut  short 
by  his  inability  to  withstand  the  change  of  climate  from  77°  in  the  shade  to 
18°  below  zero.      ]>ater  returns,  however,  entirely  justified  the  journey. 

A  lot  no  X  135  at  Third  and  Kobinson  streets  was  purchased  May  9,  1012. 
for   $l!,OUU.       Its    location    has    these    advantas-e<:       1.    Tt    is    near    a    school. 


L.-Klics'    Aid    S.icicly,    Mrs.    l*r.    K.    ( ».    IldtTman.    I'rraidcnt.    iiiaikcil    .X.       Church, 

'I'liiicl  .111(1   Koliiiison  Streets.   San   Diego.  ( 'alit'ornia.      SiiiKhiy  scIkkiI,    Miss 

Maljel    Shuiili.    Suiierintendeiit,   inarl<ed    1. 

2.  Tt  is  near  a  retail  btisiness  center.  ?>.  Tt  has  s])londid  car  service.  4.  Tt  has 
five  thousand  poimlation  near  by.  5.  It  only  had  one  other  cliurch  it(>ar — 
Episcopal.      G.  Tt  is  in  the  iiest  section  of  the  city. 

After  conference,  the  membership  erected  a  chapel  on  the  rear  end  of  the 
lot.      All  labor  expect  $1.25  was  donated.      The  church  building  was  begun 

11 


and  on  February  2,  1913,  the  corner-stone  was  placed  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies by  Bishop  W.  M.  Bell. 

The  first  plan  contemplated  was  to  erect  walls  only  to  first  floor,  then 
cover  with  temporary  roofing,  \n\t  First  Church,  Los  Angeles,  spoiled  all  that 
by  voting  $1,000.  Hon.  S.  H.  Ivingery  presented  the  check  in  person  and 
for  good  measure  brought  $100  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  E.  Coe.  These  gifts 
at  such  opportmie  time  put  both  the  "sand"  and  the  "go"  in  San  Diego,  and 
the  walls  were  pushed  up. 

The  manufactured  stone  used  is  produced  by  the  San  Diego  Concrete 
Brick  Company  and  is  the  ordinary  concrete  block  faced  with  ground 
granite.  Besides  this  it  is  made  in  seventeen  different  sizes  and  with  forty 
different  faces.  Dr.  John  Albert  Eby  of  East  Church,  Los  Angeles,  who 
was  the  speaker  on  opening  day,  July  20,  1913,  says,  "No  one  but  an  expert 
can  tell  it  from  the  real  granite  stone."  Other  special  gifts  that  should 
be  mentioned  are  $130  from  the  Branch  Y.  P.  C.  E.  Union,  and  $50  from  the 
Branch  W.  M.  A.  Mr.  Eli  Shaffer,  father  of  the  pastor,  upon  receiving  a 
bequest  from  his  sister,  Elizabeth  Shaffer  of  Beech  Church,  Stark  County, 
Ohio,  immediately  turned  the  $203.97  to  our  building  fund.  Then  cometh 
Col.  and  Mrs.  R.  M.  Baker  with  a  gift  of  $500  after  all  their  generous  giving 
to  the  Baker  Home,  which  by  the  way  is  one  of  the  great  enterprises  of  our 
Church  and  is  destined  to  become  a  great  factor  in  our  Church  life.  I  mention 
these  gifts  as  Providences,  for  without  them  and  the  blessing  of  God  in 
other  ways,  we  could  not  have  succeeded. 

As  yet  we  have  no  pews  and  our  Sunday-school  rooms  are  imfinished; 
no  floor  in  the  basement  and  we  owe  $1,000  on  the  lot;  but  we  are  a  con- 
tented bunch  and  the  blessing  of  God  is  upon  us. 

Our  church  membership  is  now  sixty-one.  Our  Endeavor  Society,  while 
not  large,  has  the  highest  per  cent,  for  efficiency  in  the  county.  They 
raised  $150  for  the  church.  The  society  helps  with  the  meetings  on  the 
war  ships,  also  at  the  county  poor  farm.  In  our  Sunday  school  we  have  a 
class  of  deaf  mutes,  taught  by  Mr.  Ralph  Shoemaker,  himself  a  deaf  mute. 
Our  Ladies'  Aid  has  passed  the  impossible.  They  have  raised  at  least  $1,500 
and  deserve  great  credit.  Mrs.  R.  O.  Hoffman  is  president.  The  Home 
Missionary  Society  and  the  (!hurch  Erection  Society  have  made  these  things 
])ossible.  We  could  not  have  made  the  progress  we  have  without  their  help; 
indeed  after  some  experience,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  I  would  not  attempt 
any  city  work  without  their  help.  We  have  used  the  money  the  people  gave 
these  societies  with  great  cave  for  is  it  not  the  offering  of  love  and  often  of 
self  denial? 

This  month  we  shall  devote  our  efforts  to  evangelism.  I  trust  that 
your  dollars  and  your  prayers  coupled  with  our  own  may  result  in  the  saving 
of  many  whose  names  will  oe  written  in  heaven. 

t/?*  t^w  t.5* 

Fifty  Opportunities  Like  Grace 

Rev.  a.  E.  Wright. 
Chapter  I. 

IT  was  on  a  Friday  morning,  in  the  month  of  September,  1905,  that  I 
awoke  in  the  city  of  Cliicago,  and  without  delay  found  my  way  to  72nd 
Street  and  Greenwood  Aven^ie,  where  by  the  order  of  Bishop  Mathews 
and  Church  Erection  Secretary  Weekley,  a  concrete  block  building  was 
under  construction — the  walls  being  half  way  up.  Being  a  total  stranger,  I 
inquired  why  certain  men  came  to  the  building,  stood  with  their  hands  in 
tlioir  pockets  and  indifferently  looked  about,  and  were  lazily  turning  away. 
"No  pay,  no  work,  boss,"  was  the  cheering  reply.      Out  of  my  own  pocket 

12 


tlio  workmen  were  paid  and  set  to  work.  A  $l,r)()0  letter  was  at  once  dis- 
patclied  to  Dayton,  Ohio.  A  hour  later  the  gentleman  who  had  had  over- 
sight over  the  work  appeared,  explained  at  tiresome  length  that  there 
was  no  money,  that  the  contract  was  so  low  that  the  church  could  afford 
to  lose  money  to  the  Union — "Why,"  he  exclaimed,  "Pastor,  we  got  the 
better  of  that  contractor  $1,000!      Ilallolujah !" 

Chapter  IT. 
If  one  wishes  to  strike  the  popular  note,  it  is  necessary  to  close  his 
chapters  by  leading  his  readers  up  to  some  mountain  height  like  the  fore- 
going. However,  within  the  first  week,  I  discovered  that  the  contractor  had 
"soaked''  the  local  committee  to  the  tune  of  $1,200!  But  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ  'vas  started,  on  the  South  and  East  side,  in  the 
city  of  Chicago.  Beside  my  own  family  there  was  one  United  Brethren 
on  the  ground,  B.  B.  West.  By  the  middle  of  November,  we  were  holding 
services  in  the  basement  of  our  building,  and  on  the  first  Sunday  in  the  fol- 
lowing April  our  house  was  dedicated.  Bishop  Mathews  assisted  by  Drs. 
Whitney  and  Trueblood  officiated.  Debts,  devil,  flesh,  and  the  wx^rld  do  not 
make  interesting  reading  outside  of  novels. 

Chapter  III. 
WORK.—WOEK. 

Chapter  IV. 
The  denomination  being  unknown,  and  some  other  things  largely  local, 
ledl  me  to  organize  a  normal  class,  which  later  developed  into  a  Monday 
night  Bible  class.  The  number  of  nationalities  and  creeds  represented  made 
teaching  a  neces^sity.  Teaching  caught.  Teaching  held.  Teaching  unified. 
The  teaching  method  was  slow,  but  sure.  God  blessed  the  teaching  of  his 
Word.  A  warm,  \inifying  spiritual  fellowship  followed.  The  German  and 
the  Irish  clasped  hands.  Prejudices  national  and  religious  were  slowly  but 
s\irely  undermiucil.  This  department  of  the  work  grew  until  a  regularly, 
incorporated  Biblical  Institute  was  the  logical  outgrowth  which  has  not 
ceased  to  exi)and  and  bless.  Oh,  yes,  there  were  preachings  and  visitings  and 
all  the  rest,  but  I  stand  when  I  speak  of  teaching  the  Word  of  God. 

Chapter  V. 
Conversions  and  additions  have  not  been  infrequent,  and  have  been 
healthfully  scattered  throughout  the  years.  Slowly  thei-e  have  evolved  three 
great  departments — inspirational,  educational,  and  social  service.  The 
aim  has  been  and  is  to  make  Grace  Church  a  living  part  of  the  living  body 
of  the  living  Christ !  In  seven  years,  the  congregation  became  self-sup- 
l)orting.  I  would  tell  you  wdiat  I  mean  by  self-supporting,  that  is  what  was 
considered  an  adequate  salary,  but  if  I  were  to  state  the  amount  Mr.  A. 
would  insist  upon  the  mission  board  assisting  his  flock  imtil  it  paid  as  much, 
and  Mr.  B.,  who  is  receiving  a  larger  salaiy  now  would  feel  that  I  had  with 
malice  forethought  stabbed  him;  and  besides  it  is  none  of  your  business,  and 
then  too,  if  I  were  to  tell  you  the  amount,  some  reamer  might  want  my 
job.  See?  Well,  there  are  fifty  other  opportunities  in  the  city  equally  as 
promising  as  Grace. 

Chapter  YI. 
STICK,  STAY,  WORK. 

Chapter  YII. 
We  feel  that  our  local  congregation  is  just  beginning  its  work  in  this  part 
of    the    city.       Our    ever-enlarging    opportunities    keep    us    humble.        Our 

13 


house  is  yet  to  buikl.  We  own  a  corner  113  ft.  by  125  ft.  In  the  past  wc 
liave  not  gone  from  home  for  money,  but  that  is  not  saying  that  we  shall  not 
do  so  in  the  future.      Our  membership  is  312  adults  and  125  children. 

Grace  Church  has  licensed  seven  men  to  preach  the  gospel;  two 
young  women  are  now  fittin^^-  themselves  for  work  in  the  foreign  field,  and  at 
least  forty  men  and  women  are  qualified  to  conduct  a  religious  meeting  in- 
telligently. 

^     ..<      ■< 

One  Church  to  Every  2,600  People 

Eev.  p.  F.  Ketthixg. 

THAT   there  is  a  great  need   of  more  churches   in  East   St.   Louis   is 
evident  v/hen   we  take  into  consideration  that  we  have  only  twenty 
Protestant  churches  and  some  six  or  seven   Catholic  churches  in  a 
population  of  about  seventy  thousand.      This  means  about  twenty- 
six  hundred  people  to  each  church.      Think  of  it!      If  it  were  possible  for  us 


Clinrcli    at    Kast    St.    Lmiis.    Illinnis. 


to  find  a  town  or  city  anywhere,  with  a  population  of  twenty-six  hundred  and 
only  one  church  there  we  would  surely  feel  that  more  churches  were  greatly 
needed. 

Many  of  our  T'nited  Prethren  peojde  are  continually  coming  to  this 
city,  among  them  bright,  intelligent,  young  men  and  women,  full  of  life  and 
energy.  Doctors,  lawyers,  teachers,  operators,  printers,  dentists,  and  from 
United  Brethren  homes.  We  must  save  them  to  our  Church  if  we  would  fill 
the  measure  of  our  efficiency  and  usefulness. 

14 


People  are  anxious  to  come  to  o\ir  cliureli.  as  many  have  said,  ''When  you 
fiot  started  we  are  coming."  Likewise  Sunday-scliool  eliihh-cn  are  eagerly  in- 
(]uiring  when  we  are  going  to  open  up  our  school.  The  present  number  of 
churches  and  Sunday  schools  in  this  city  are  not  sufficient  to  keep  all  the 
people  well  employed  religiously.  We  are  finding  splendid  young  people 
who  ought  to  have  some  dellnite  work  to  do  in  the  church.  I  have  in  mind 
now,  one  young  man  especially,  who  is  a  splendid  musician,  a  lover  of  good 
reading,  and  (ino  who  certainly  gives  promise  of  a  useful  life  if  he  continues. 

In  3Iay,  1011,  Rev.  J.  F.  McCreery  was  sent  to  East  St.  Louis  to  start 
the  work  and  with  the  aid  of  some  of  our  general  church  officers  and  promi- 
nent men  of  Lower  Wabash  Conference  (in  whose  territory  it  is  located)  on 
the  corner  of  IStli  and  Illinois  Avenue,  with  an  adjoining  house  and  lot  which 
serves  as  a  parsonage.  Eev.  McCreery 's  time  was  principally  spent  in  se- 
curing  funds   to  start   the  work. 

On  September,  1012,  the  present  jiastor  was  assigned  to  the  mission. 
The  first  si.x  or  eiglit  mduths  of  his  time  were  also  given  to  the  securing  of 
funds  with  which  to  build.  A  church  plan  was  selected  by  the  conference 
church  trustees,  the  pastor,  and  superintendent  of  the  district;  said  plan 
being  on  the  library  style.  It  was  also  decided  by  this  committee  to  erect 
the  main  part  or  auditorium  of  the  proposed  building  with  a  room  about 
fifty  feet  scjuare,  galleries,  vestibules,  and  full  basement  for  Sunday  school 
and  social  purposes  for  tlie  present  until  the  Sunday-school  i)art  could  be 
added. 

The  exterior  part  of  tliis  bTiilding  is  now  all  complete  with  the  ex- 
ception of  doors  and  memorial  windows.  We  are  now  making  a  desperate 
effort  to  open  at  least  a  pnrt  of  the  church  for  immediate  ser^dce.  Since 
last  September,  services  ha<re  been  held  regiilarly  in  the  parsonage  Sunday 
afternoons  with  weekly  cottage  prayer-meetings  in  the  homes.  At  the  open- 
ing of  these  services  the  most  of  our  membership  lived  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
which  meant  a  car  fare  of  thirty  cents  each  for  the  trip.  But  at  present, 
the  larger  part  of  oiir  churcli  membership  are  now  in  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois, 
within  easy  walking  distance  of  the  church.  We  now  have  a  membership 
of  twenty-five  and  I  am  confident  if  we  could  get  our  church  opened  up  and 
have  larger  quarters  in  which  to  grow,  the  membership  coidd  soon  be  more 
than  doubled.  When  I  see!  the  great  possibilities,  I  pour  out  mj  heart's 
desire  in  prayer  to  God  and  ask  "O  Lord,  how  long  shall  it  be  until  our  w^ork 
can  be  properly  opened  here  in  East  St.  Louis?"  So  it  is  evident  to  my 
niind  that  here  is  a  great  field  for  operation.  Let  us  go  in  and  possess  the 
land. 

.^i      M     .^e 

Did  It  Pay  to  Hold  On? 

I{i;\.  J.  C.  Goomucii. 

UXITED  lU-cthrenism  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  was  first  repre- 
sented by  Father  Kenoyer  and  soon  afterwards  by  Rev.  J.  J.  Galla- 
her  and  the  first  conference  was  held  near  the  city  in  18G3.  With 
varying  success  and  failure,  the  work  struggled  on  through  the  strife 
incident  to  the  secrecy  question  and  the  worse  effects  of  the  fanatical  extremes 
of  the  holiness  movement  until  the  early  '90's  when  the  church  gave  up  the 
ghost  and  departed  this  world.  The  surrounding  valleys  and  hills  were 
j)lanted  with  United  Brethren  classes  in  almost  every  school  house,  but  no 
church  houses,  practically,  among  them  all.  As  a  result  the  other  churches 
of  the  city  are  built  up  and  sustained  spiritually  and  to  a  large  degree 
financially  by  the  Brethren  who  moved  into  the  city  to  retire  during  the 
years  we  were  absent. 

15 


In  1907,  with  the  hacking  of  the  Home  Mission  and  Church  Erection 
societies,  but  withoiit  a  member  and  with  the  record  of  strife  and  faihire 
behind  us.  Rev  J.  B.  Ball  was  appointed  as  pastor  and  began  the  erection 
of  the  present  church  building  on  Park  and  Juniper  streets,  which  represents 
a  cash  value  of  approximately  $6,000.  In  1909,  Rev.  Mr.  Guunnere  supplied  for 
eight  months  and  moved  on,  leaving  the  job  to  the  present  pastor.  He 
found  thirty  resident  members,  some  of  whom  didn't  know  it;  a  church  debt  of 
$2,320,  no  parsonage  and  every  one  discouraged  by  internal  conditions  which 
had  been  brought  on  by  lack  of  tact  and  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  most 
everybody  to  mind  everybody's  else  business  but  his  own,  and  they  said,  "Let's 
quit."  The  first  move  was  a  new  parsonage  which  was  started  soon  after 
arrival  on  the  field  and  which  was  occupied  seven  months  later.  It  will  be 
entirely  free  from  debt  by  the  first  of  next  June,  as  the  money  is  all  pledged 
and  is  fast  being  paid  in.  The  parsonage  is  modern  and  comfortable  and 
you  are  heartily  welcome  to  come  and  stay  in  it  for  awhile. 

It  might  have  done  some  of  you  good  to  have  seen  the  pastor  fresh  from 
me  Seminary  take  off  his  coat  the  day  after  he  arrived,  borrow  a  hoe  and 
begin  to  hack  down  weeds  surrounding  the  church,  which  were  higher  than 
his  head.  That  weed  patch  is  a  thing  of  the  past,  and  on  all  sides  of  the 
church  and  parsonage  is  a  fine  blue  grass  and  white  clover  lawn  which  the 
preacher  keeps  fairly  well  trimmed  with  the  help  of  his  wife  and  boy, 
Next  year  when  conference  meets  here  the  parsonage  will  be  largely  covered 
with  Virginia  Creeper,  climbing  roses,  and  California  honeysuckle. 

But  greater  things  than  these  have  happened.  Twenty  Sunday-school 
pupils  gathered  on  the  first  Sunday  and  the  average  for  the  first  quarter  was 
about  thirty.  Not  enough  teachers  to  handle  that  number.  The  average 
for  the  last  six  months  has  been  over  sixty  and  a  high  mark  of  eight-one  was 
reached  with  little  effort.  Six  weeks  after  coming  to  the  work  a  little  body  of 
young  folks  gathered  in  the  pastor's  home  and  a  Christian  Endeavor  Society 
was  started  with  seven  names,  which  increased  to  seventeen  before  we  closed 
the  charter  membershij)  list.  Upwards  of  sixty  have  been  members  of  the 
society  and  about  thirty  are  now  in  active  touch  with  it.  Interest  at  present  is 
such  that  it  bids  fair  to  become  the  most  active  assistant  working  force  in  the 
church.  From  six  to  a  dozen  of  them  have  gone  to  each  annual  conference 
and  every  one  who  went  came  home  spiritually  blessed  and  more  firmly  a 
United  Brethren  than  ever. 

This  one  great  ideal  has  been  held  np  to  the  people  that  Jesus  Christ 
left  ns  in  the  world  as  life  bearers  and  life  savers,  and  slowly  people  have 
responded  nntil  the  spiritual  tide  is  running  high  and  we  report  a  resident 
membership  of  seventy  and  f.re  now  engaged  with  the  other  churches  of  the 
city  in  a  great  campaign  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  E.  J.  Bulgin,  which 
will  put  our  membership  above  the  hundred  mark.  One  minister  and  one 
deaconess  have  gone  from  our  ranks.  Strife  has  disappeared.  The  church 
is  a  imit  in  spirit  practically  and  the  future  should  give  ns  a  rapid  and  sub- 
stantial growth.  Finances  are  in  shape  so  that  a  few  dollars  more  will  see 
the  wiping  out  of  the  entire  church  debt.  The  church  adopted  the  single 
budget  system  the  first  year  of  the  present  pastorate  and  by  a  careful  canvass 
of  the  members  they  have  raised  the  salary  of  the  preacher  two  hundred 
dollars  in  that  time  and  have  paid  the  current  bills  as  they  came  due  and 
have  not  been  behind  a  single  cent  on  conference  assessments.  We  are 
now  paying  into  the  conference  as  high  an  assessment  as  any  charge  in  the 
conference;  have  a  Telescope  club  of  one  to  each  three  and  a  third  members, 
which  is  the  largest  in  the  conference  and  which  on  a  pro  rata  basis  not  many 
churches  in  the  denomination  will  beat.  We  have  also  the  largest  Evangel 
club  in  the  conference,  averiiging  one  in  five  and  a  fraction  of  the  member- 
ship. 

If  you  want  to  know  how  it  was  done  I  can  answer  in  about  three  words — 
plodding,  paying,  praying, 

16 


Opening  in  a  Great  Center 

Rev.  F.  M.  Davis. 

Tup:  history  of  our  home  missionary  enterprise  at  Detroit,  Michigan, 
dates  back  to  January  28,  1912.  The  Rev.  W.  H.  McCnrdy  and 
family,  who  were  active  workers  in  the  Fourth  United  Brethren 
Church,  York,  Pennsylvania,  came  to  the  city  to  obtain  employment 
in  the  auto  industries.  After  looking  about  for  a  church  of  their  choice  and 
failino-  in  their  efforts  to  find  one,  they  asked  God  to  open  the  way  for  the 
estabHshnient  of  a  United  Brethren  Church.  On  the  foregoing  date  the 
first  session  of  the  Sabbath  school  was  held  in  Mr.  McCurdy's  home  and  from 
that  time  the  infant  organization  met  in  different  homes  until  a  suitable 
hall  could  be  secured  for  public  services.  Mr.  McCurdy  preached  acceptibly 
to  the  faithful  flock  until  August  20  of  the  same  year,  when  the  writer  was 
assigned  as  regular  pastor. 

On  September  22,  1912,  the  organization  of  the  Church  occurred  with 
forty  charter  members.  From  its  inception  the  work  has  made  steady  prog- 
ress. We  have  been  greatly  handicapped,  however,  on  account  of  not  hav- 
ing a  permanent  building  In  which  to  worship,  but  the  people  have  been 
heroic  loyal,  and  sacrificing  in  the  face  of  every  obstacle.  It  is  only  through 
the  co-operation  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society  and  the  Church  Erection 
Society  that  we  have  an  existence  to-day.  In  February,  1913,  we  were 
enabled  by  the  assistance  of  the  latter  society  to  purchase  a  beautiful  site 
on  which  to  erect  a  church  building. 

On  November  1,  1913,  a  temporary  tabernacle  was  opened  for  worship. 
This  being  in  proximitv  to  the  permanent  location  of  the  church,  resulted 
in  doubling  our  attendance  in  the  Sabbath  school.  We  cannot  remain  in  this 
building  indefinitely  without  resulting  disastrously  to  our  work,  as  it  was 
erected  only  to  meet  an  immediate  need,  and  the  people  of  the  community 
are  looking  to  us  for  a  building  adequate  to  meet  their  needs  at  the  earliest 
possible  date. 

We  have  at  this  time  (February  10,  1914),  a  membership  of  seventy-five, 
an  enrollment  in  the  Sabbarh  school  proper  of  one  hundred  and  thit'ty,  and 
a  cradle  roll  of  fifty,  with  every  department  well-organized.  With  the 
necessary  equipment  our  opportunity  is  unlimited. 

Our  denomination  has  suffered  tremendous  loss  in  this  great  fcity. 
Hundreds  of  our  people  have  moved  here  from  United  Brethren  centers  and 
finding  no  church  home,  have  gone  to  other  denominations  or  have  been 
lost  to  the  kingdom  entirely.  But  what  of  the  future?  Who  possesses 
sufficient  wisdom  to  prophesy? 

Detroit  has  a  population  of  every  600,000.  Of  this  number,  220,000 
are  Roman  Catholics,  65,000  are  Protestants,  and  over  300,000  have  no  con- 
nection with  any  religious  organization  whatever.  It  is  the  auto  center  of  the 
world.  It  is  a  'city  unsurpassed  for  beauty  and  yet  contaminated  with  every 
form  of  vice  common  to  twentieth  century  humanity.  There  are  thousands 
with  their  various  beliefs  and  disbeliefs,  their  rank  socialistic  ideas  and 
anarchistic  tendencies,  whose  supreme  desire  is  to  promote  lawlessness. 

If  we  can  secure  sufficient  funds  with  which  to  erect  a  permanent 
building  at  an  early  date,  our  future  is  assured.  If  we  do  not  possess  the 
land  it  will  soon  be  occupied  by  another.  Shall  this  great  loss  to  the 
denomination  continue,  or  shall  we  arise  to  the  situation  and  plant  our  ban- 
ners firmly  in  this  great  city,  and  so  hasten  the  kingdom  of  God?  Who 
will  come  over  and  help  us? 


17 


A  Tabernacle  Erected  in  a  Day 

I?EV.  E.  E.  Joiixsox. 

IN  June,  1912,  Bishop  G.  M.  Mathews  and  the  superintendents  of  the  Lower 
Wabasli   Conference   appointed  the  writer,  who  had  served  eight   years 
as  liekl  worker  of  the  Illinois  Sunday  School  Association,  as  pastor  at 
Charleston,  Illinois,  a  city  of  between  seven  and  eight  thousand  people, 
a  county  seat,  and  the  site  of  the  Eastern  Illinois  State  Normal  School. 

The  work  was  begun  July  1,  and  services  were  arranged  for  in  the  court 
house.  As  Independence  Day  was  approaching  and  a  huge  celebration  was  to 
be  held  in  the  city,  the  pastor  had  five  thousand  bills  printed  announcing  the 
launching  of  United  Brethren  Church  services  on  the  following  Sunday, 
July  7,  in  the  court  house,  and  celebrated  the  day  .by  distributing  broad  cast 
the  bills  to  the  great  crowd  of  people. 

The  services  were  held.  A  Sunday  school  of  forty  members  was  organized 
and  from  that  time  on  the  United  Brethren  Church  has  been  growing.  The 
class  was  organized  July  21,  by  Presiding  Elder  J.  B.  Connett,  with  twenty- 
nine  charter  members  and  the  first  quarterly  meeting  held.  A  splendid 
Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  ten  members  was  organized  August  6. 

Early  in  August,  a  lot  5T\  x  115  feet,  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Harrison 
avenues,  five  blocks  from  the  court  house  and  four  blocks  from  the  normal 


i'ii-liiii:    'liikcii    Siiciii    Allcr    llii'    XddU    ll( 


grounds,  was  purchased.  Wednesday,  August  14,  was  announced  as  "United 
Brethren  Building  Day,"  in  which  all  men  who  would  were  asked  to  come 
with  hammer  and  saw  to  helji  in  erecting  a  tabernacle,  24  x  48  feet,  on  the 
east  end  of  the  lot.  A  splendid  number  of  men  responded,  both  men  of  the 
chui'ch  and  others,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  rain  that  day,  the  building 
would  have  been  practically  completed.  As  it  was,  it  was  nearly  enclosed. 
The  ladies  of  the  church  served  a  splendid  dinner  and  as  it  was  rainy  the 
Baptist  people  kindly  offered  the  use  of  their  church  basement  two  blocks 
away,  which  was  thankfidly  used.  The  congregation  moved  from  the  court 
house  to  the  new  Tabernacle  and  held  their  first  service  September  1,  1912. 
A  steady  and  substantial  growth  obtained,  and  since  that  date  the  following 
special  events  have  been  observed : 

Men's  Brotherhood  and  Bible  Class  of  eleven  members  organized  Septem- 
ber 15.  Women's  Bilde  Class  of  fourteen  members  organized  September  2G. 
Senior  Christian  Endeavor  of  twelve  members  organized  September  29.  Rally 
Day  in  the  Sunday  school,  October  20.  Goal  set  for  one  hundred  present. 
One  hundred  and  fifty-seven  there. 

18 


Taljoniaelc  dedicatccl  liy  Presiding-  Kldcr  ( '.  A.  Dwyer,  Octnbor  20.  Re- 
vival held  in  October  and  November,  Kev.  Mr.  Dwyer  helping:,  witli  twelve  con- 
versions and  accessions. 

Union  Thanksgiving-  serxice  licld  in  the  Tabernacle,  November  28. 

Junior  Christian  Endeavor  of  ten  mcndx'rs,  and  Intermediate  Christian 
Endeavor  of  seven  members  organized  December  1. 

IMen's  Day  observed  January  2(),  IDl.'i. 

Revival  held  in  May,  1913,  nnder  Evangelist  G.  K.  Little,  with  fourteen 
conversions  and  accessions. 

Woman's  Missionary  Association  of  ten  mcinfers,  organizeil  July  17. 

Cradle  Roll  reception,  October  21. 

Revival,  January,  1914,  nnder  direction  of  Evangelist  and  Mrs.  J.  F. 
Fowler,  with  thirty-one  conversions  and  forty-two  accessions.  Present  mem- 
bership of  the  church,  101.  Membership  of  the  Sunday  school  (main  school), 
12o.      Cradle  Roll,  T).") ;  TFome  Dejiartment,  9.      Total  school  enrollment,  1G7. 


"The   Friendly   C'luircli."    Charleston,    Illinois. 


From  0  to  $18,000 

Ri:v.  0.  E.  McDonald. 

PKRll APS  the  greatest  thing  that  has  helped  Seattle  to  achieve  what- 
ever victory  has  come  to  this  infant  church,  was  the  consciousness 
that  the  United  Brethren  Church  over  the  whole  United  States  was 
interested  in  ns  and  praying-  for  us.  What  an  encouraging-  boast! 
(!et  a  map  of  western  Vv'^ashington.  Locate  Seattle.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  our  mission  at  Vancouver,  Washington,  which  is  really 
a  suburb  of  Portland,  Oregon,  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  away,  there 
arc  only  two  of  our  clmrches  in  this  big  empire — Everett  and  Seattle.  These 
are  over  thirt.v  miles  apart.  Oh,  for  the  day,  and  it  will  come,  when  we  have 
a   whole  conference  on  Puget   Sound. 

Planting-  a  church  in  Seattle  is  pioneer  work.  True,  we  do  not  have 
ox  teams  crossing  the  plains  nor  do  we  war  with  wild  and  hostile  Indian 
tribes,  nor  do  wo  fell  the  mighty  trees  and  build  log  cabins  and  log  churches 
to  worship  in.  The  da.vs  described  by  Ralph  Connor  are  gone  for  the  most 
part,  b\it  it  takes  all  the  courage  and  heroism  of  the  hour  to  enter  a  vast 
cit.y  full  of  sin  where  the  church  of  our  choice  is  unknown  and  unwanted, 
where  the  minister  trudges  over  a  great  cit.v  to  find  a  handful  of  charter  mem- 
bers who  will  unite  their  faith  and  endeavor  to  establish  a  strong,  live,  evangel- 
istic Christian  congregation.    Put  tliere  arc  a  lot  of  enjo^'able  things  about 

19 


such  a  task.  One  feels  a  little  like  dauntless,  faithful  Paul,  whose  aim  was 
to  preach  where  no  one  had  preached  before.  One  feels  like  a  stone  mason 
laying  foundatioiis.  The  hard  task  is  often  the  happiest  when  God  is  our 
help. 

But  I  meant  to  tell  you  some  things  about  real  progress  in  Seattle.  The 
best  thing  we  have  is  the  Sunday  school.  We  have  an  enrollment  of  only 
sixty,  but  we  are  growing.  New  pupils  are  coming  every  Sunday.  We  are 
organizing  new  classes  and  the  future  is  bright.  Our  Sunday  school  was 
only  organized  the  fifth  of  last  October.  For  a  time  the  mid-week  service 
was  a  real  problem  but  seems  to  be  solved  at  last  by  the  organization  of  a 
Bible  study  class  in  the  Gospel  of  John.  Interest  is  rising  each  week.  The 
men  of  the  church  have  arranged  a  six  weeks'  lecture  course  as  follows: 

1.  "The  Wonders  of  the  Yellowstone,"  President  Landes  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Washington. 

2.  "The  Panama  Canal,"  J.  J.  Donovan  of  Bellingham. 

3.  "The  Mountain  That  was  God,"  Eev.  W.  O.  Benadom. 


Prospective  Church  at  Seattle,  Washington. 


4.  "The  Glacial  History  of  Puget  Sound."  Prof.  Bretz. 

5.  "The  Life  of  the  Ant,"  Prof.  Ivincaid. 

6.  "The  Port  of  Seattle,"  Hamilton  Higday. 

These  are  ilhistrated  with  fine  colored  slides.  The  church  has  purchased 
a  splendid  stereopticon.  The  plan  is  to  introduce  the  work  to  our  community 
and  this  excellent  course  is  given  free  of  charge. 

We  have  established  a  church  dinner  once  each  month  to  which  new 
families  are  invited  and  we  have  had  marked  success  in  the  new  people  that 
have  come.  These  methods  of  social  service  are  not  ends  in  view.  The  evan- 
gelistic tone  of  the  church  is  of  the  highest  order,  the  church  is  making  an  effort 
to  avoid  ruts,  to  establish  no  formal  precedents,  but  to  be  natural  in  its  ef- 
forts to  be  all  things  to  all  men  if  it  may  thereby  be  a  means  of  salvation. 

Another  problem  that  has  been  afront  us  has  been  the  revival  problem, 
I  mean  the  holding  of  special  evangelistic  services.      So  far  it  has  seemed  un- 

20 


wise  to  put  on  such  a  campaign,  but  listen,  there  have  been  conversions.  A 
tine  group  of  our  women  have  been  visiting  in  the  homes  of  the  community. 
These  have  been  followed  by  the  pastor.  People  have  repented  of  their  sins 
and  some  have  united  with  the  church.  Eight  united  on  a  recent  Sunday, 
four  on  confession  of  faith. 

To  an  Easterner  who  is  used  to  large  congregations  and  financial  returns, 
Seattle  Church  will  still  look  small.  But  when  one  looks  at  the  field,  the 
most  difficult  in  this  nation  to  till,  and  after  a  half  century  of  neglect  by 
our  Church;  when  one  sees  the  whirl  of  indifferent  humanity  enveloped  in 
the  lure  of  gold  and  mists  of  doubt  and  sin ;  when  you  see  in  three  brief  yearn 
the  church  grow  from  a  cipher  to  property  worth  over  $18,000  and  from  an 
unknown  name  even  to  a  respected  place  among  the  churches  of  this  city;  when 
one  thinks  of  the  geography  of  Seattle  and  its  relation  to  the  awakening  East, 
who  would  not  offer  an  ejaculation  of  thanks  and  praise  for  what  God  hath 
wrought  in  this  great  city  by  the  Western  sea !  Well  might  any  one  be  glad 
of  a  chance  to  serve  here  in  i)lanting  the  fundamentals  of  church  organization. 

.J*     ..<     .•« 

Sixteen  Months  to  Dedication 

Rev.  W.  it.  Aubogast. 

NOVE]\[BER,  1910,  a  committee  of  the  Northern  Illinois  Conference, 
selected  the  location  in  the  city  of  Bloomington,  Illinois,  for  a  new 
mission  known  as  the  First  Church,  and  appointed  the  pastor  who 
l)egan  work  May  1,  1911.      Funds  were  collected  to  pay  on  the  lots 
and  to  provide  a  temporary  ])lace  in  which  services  might  be  held.      A  taber- 
nacle, 30  X  40  feet,  was  erected  by  donated  labor  largely  in  one  day.     This  was 
dedicated    August    20,    1911.       Witliin    a    few    weeks    preparations    were    be- 


rinii-fli,   Bloominntiiii,    Illiiu 


Valni'd    at    .$2.', 000. 


gun  for  the  erection  of  a  commodious  and  comfortable  church  building.  '1  his 
l)uilding.  G2  X  75  feet,  with  complete  basement  and  balconies,  was  erected  and 
furnished  at  a  cost  of  $25,000.  The  church  was  dedicated  December  15. 
1912,  within  sixteen  months  after  the  first  service  was  held.  Provision  was 
made  for  a  growing  church  and  Sunday  school,  numerous  class  rooms  aiding 
in  more  effective  work. 

Immediately  after  the  dedication  of  the  Tabernacle,  services  were  con- 
tinued each  evening  for  three  weeks  in  order  that  the  community  might  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  church  and  lend  co-operation  to  the  movement. 
September  24,  the  church  was  organized  with  thirty-seven  members,  whicli 
number  has  been  multiplied  fourfold,  there  being  one  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  members  at  the  present  time.      The  constant  aim  has   been  to  make 

21 


the  church  a  community  center  for  elevating:  and  ennobling  Christian  char- 
acter. Different  departments  of  church  activity  have  been  organized  as  the 
increased  membershiji  demanded. 

The  church  is  located  in  a  large  and  growing  section  of  the  city,  com- 
posed almost  entirely  of  working  people.  The  members  of  the  church  and 
of  the  Sunday  school  have  been  gathered  largely  in  the  innnediate  neighbor- 
hood and  there  is  represented  in  the  membership  people  who  have  been  trained 
in  a  dozen  different  denominations.  There  have  been  iipwards  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  conversions  from  the  beginning  and  there  are  thirty  families  in 
the  church  membership. 

The  Sunday  school  is  the  oldest  department  of  the  church,  having  held 
its  initial  session,  August  27,  1911.  Beginning  with  fifty  members  in  six 
classes,  the  enrollment  has  reached  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  in  the  main 
school,  with  fifty  in  the  cradle  roll,  and  ten  in  the  home  department.  The 
school  is  regularly  organized  under  the  international  and  denominational 
standards,  with  a  superintendent  and  a  corps  of  teachers  for  each  division. 
At  present  there  are  sixteen  classes.  The  graded  series  of  lessons  has  been 
used  continuously  in  all  classes  below  the  adult  division.  Beginning  with 
January,  1914,  the  Sunday  pchool  and  the  morning  service  have  been  com- 
bined with  increased  interest  in  both.  The  average  attendance  at  Sunday 
school  for  the  past  three  months  has  been  one  hiindred  and  fifty.  One  of  the 
most  potent  factors  in  the  development  of  child  life  is  the  Junior  Endeavor 
Society  of  over  fifty  members.  The  Young  People's  Society  has  an  enroll- 
ment of  forty  young  people  who  are  developing  into  splendid  church  workers. 
The  Woman's  Missionary  Society  is  enlisting  the  ladies  of  the  church  in 
personal  consecration,  and  during  the  first  year  of  their  history  secured  over 
$150  for  the  extension  of  Christ's  kingdom  abroad,  besides  aiding  largely  in 
local  finances.  It  was  the  privilege  of  this  society  to  entertain  the  Woman's 
Board  meeting  when  the  society  was  just  one  year  old.  A  general  Bible 
study  class  for  all  ages  meets  regularly  each  Tuesday  evening.  Social 
gatherings  are  held  every  few  weeks.  Many  persons  have  thus  been  enlisted  in 
active  church  relations.  A  course  of  athletics  is  being  developed  for  the 
young  men  and  the  boys.  The  finances  are  looked  after  systematically  and 
carefully.  A  large  number  are  tithers.  Others  who  are  not  tithers  bring 
their  offerings  also  every  Sunday  and  the  local  expenses  are  met  regularly. 
There  has  been  no  attempt  to  secure  funds  by  other  than  Scriptural  methods. 
The  new  plan  of  finance  has  been  heartily  a])proved  and  the  apportionment 
met  regularly  every  month.  The  debt  on  the  church  building  is  being  reduced 
month  by  month. 

The  church  was  greatly  aided  by  a  generous  loan  from  the  general  Church 
Erection  Society  and  the  enterprise  was  largely  made  possible  by  the  support 
of  the  Home  Missionary  Society.  Great  credit  is  due  to  two  of  God's  noble 
laymen,  Messrs.  F.  M.  Moats  and  J.  L.  Arbogast,  who  have  carried  a  large 
]iart  of  the  burden  in  erecting  the  church  building.  They  not  only  gave 
liberally,  but  they  also  loaned  large  amounts  to  the  board  of  trustees  when 
payments  had  to  be  met. 


Horseback  Ride  of  32  Miles,  38°  Below  Zero 

No  greater  evidence  of  victory  can  be  cited  from  Montana  than  that 
given  in  a  personal  letter  to  the  secretary,  from  Eev.  K.  Whitaker, 
dated.  Alpha,  North  Dakota,  February  14,  1914. 

Brothers  Bovey,  Landis,  and  myself  are  in  a  meeting  at  Alpha.  The 
meetings  are  fine  when  we  can  have  them,  but  on  account  of  the  cold  weather 
we  are  delayed  the  greater  ])art  of  the  time.  Closed  a  fine  meeting  at  Ollie 
l)oint  last  week.    We  took  some  valual)le  members  into  the  cluirch  and  will  take 

22 


a  iiiiiiiIk  r  more  at  the  same  place  soon.  We  are  goinf?  to  build  a  elmrrli  at  Ollie 
and  Alplia  this  suuiiiier.  We  are  very  sure  of  a  new  railroad  and  are  planning? 
to  loeate  each  church  in  town.  Wc  are  havinp;  a  hard  battle  but  are  winniuK 
for  the  Lord.  My  field  is  laruc  1  have  five  appointments  and  will  take  two 
more  soon.  I  may  be  spreadinjj,-  out  too  much,  but  Brother  Whitney,  I  just 
can't  see  this  territory  lost  to  our  Church.      Wc  must  occupy  this  field. 

I  was  home  last  Siuiday  for  only  two  hours.  I  came  in  from  a  ten-mile 
walk  owing'  to  the  fact  that  one  of  my  horses  was  sick  and  I  couldn't  drive. 
After  arriving-  home  I  stayed  about  two  hours  with  wife  and  the  babies,  and 
then  8'ot  on  the  well  pon\  and  rode  thirty-two  miles.  The  mercury  was  down  to 
thirty-eig'ht  below  zero  carlv  in  the  morning-.  1  am  home  about  one  night  out 
of  a  week.  It  seems  hai-d  to  leave  the  babies  and  wife  this  cold  weather, 
but  we  have  to  do  many  things  that  seenx  hard  in  this  country  if  we  carry 
out  plans  for  our  work.  Wife  and  I  have  found  this  year  has  required  the 
greatest  sacrifice  of  our  entire  life,  but  we  rejoice  that  we  are  able  to  do 
it  for  Jesus'  sake.  We  need  your  prayers.  They  help  in  a  wonderful  way  to 
keep  us  on  the  field.  T  am  glad  we  can  face  the  battle  with  courage  and 
lov<'   for   our  Master,  and    while    the.  battle   is   fierce   and    hot   we   would    not 


Churcb  and   parsouage.  Carlyle,   Montana. 


give  it  uji  for  fattest  job  in  the  Church.  We  love  Montana  ^fission. 
After  a  walk  of  thirteen  miles  last  week,  P>rothers  Bovey,  Landis,  and  my- 
self reached  our  destination  with  our  faces  frozen  and  weary  of  body  from 
our  trip,  but  thanked  God  that  we  were  able  to  endure  such  hardshi]is  for  the 
soids  of  men  and  our  Lord.  Don't  forget  us  when  you  pray.  We  want 
souls  for  Christ.  Will  organize  a  class  at  Stuart,  North  Dakota,  soon  and  a 
Smiday  school  at  Williams,  ne.xt  S\niday. 

i^oTE. — The  third  session  of  ^fontana  ^lission  Conference  was  held  by 
P>ishop  Font  in  Heaeh,  North  Dakota,  October  H!.  1913.  Xund)er  of  or- 
ganized churches,  (i ;  members,  170;  total  enrollment  of  Sunday  schools,  235; 
three  church  liuildings.  two  ])arsonages,  total  valuati(m,  $7,200.  Thirteen 
preaching-  places  at  present. 


23 


A  Bright  Spot  in  Erie 

Eev.  W.  B.  Nelson. 

BY  previous  appointment,  Mrs.  Nelson  and  myself  met  the  superintendent 
of  the  Erie  Conference,  Dr.  R.  J.  White,  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania, 
June  14,  1911,  and  were  appointed  missionaries  to  Erie  and  began 
work  immediately.  There  was  two  weeks'  search  for  a  proper  location 
without  success  when  an  old  friend  asked  me  to  go  to  South  Erie  and  look  at 
Glenwood  Chapel,  also  the  surroundings.  1'here  we  found  a  Union  Sunday- 
school  chapel,  a  frame  building  32  x  55  feet,  and  a  basement,  and  located  in  a 
coimnunity  not  churched.  It  was  eight  blocks  from  any  church  of  like  faith 
to  our  own.  There  was  a  Sunday  school  held  on  Sunday  afternoon  with  about 
fifty  in  regular  attendance.  The  Union  was  incorporated,  with  a  body  of 
trustees  who  gladly  allowed  us  to  hold  a  few  Sunday  evening  services  knowing 
just  what  we  were  in  Erie  for.  We  called  in  the  community  and  made  an- 
nouncements and  were  greeted  the  next  Sunday  with  a  fair  congregation.  Two 
weeks  later  negotiations  were  made  to  occupy  the  house.     The  building  had 


Located  ill  a  nou-cburched  community,  Erie,  Pa. 

been  erected  and  sustained  by  gifts  and  offerings  so  it  was  difficult  to  purchase 
the  property  insomuch  as  they  did  not  know  who  should  have  the  money.  They 
called  a  meeting  of  the  corporation  some  time  in  August  at  which  time  the 
n'iatter  was  discussed.  A  resolution  was  presented  something  like  the  follow- 
ing: "Resolved,  that  we  transfer  the  property  of  Glenwood  Sunday-school 
Chapel  entire  to  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  as  soon  as  such  church  is 
organized."  The  resolution  passed  unanimously.  The  doors  were  opened  for 
new  members  the  next  Sunday  and  twenty-two  were  secured.  There  were 
perhaps  a  dozen  families  in  the  city  whose  names  we  had,  who  had  been  at  some 
time  or  other  members  of  our  church  elsewhere.  We  succeeded  in  getting 
fourteen  from  these  families  as  a  nucleus  and  on  Monday  evening  Dr.  White 
came  and  organized. 

We  were  soon  incorporated  and  ready  for  business.  There  was  a  mortgage 
of  $760  on  the  property  when  transferred.  This  was  soon  paid.  The  building 
was  remodelled  and  comfortably  seated  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,000.  The  dedica- 
tion took  place  January  28,  1912.  The  property  is  now  worth  $7,000,  a  modern 
comfortable  church  that  will  seat  about  three  hundred  people.  The  present 
membership  is  one  hundred  and  thirty.    The  average  attendance  the  last  two 

24 


weeks  at  Sunday  school  was  one  hundrcfl  and  ten.  There  is  a  live  Christian 
Endeavor  Society  of  fifty  members;  a  Broiherhood  of  sixty;  Ladies'  Aid  of 
fifty;  a  Woman's  Missionary  Association  of  fourteen  members.  At  the  last 
Sunday  evening:  service  the  house  was  full. 

Wliile  we  still  have  a  debt  of  $1,700  th's  will  soon  1^  paid,  for  more  than 
two-thirds  of  this  is  covered  with  subscription.  Last  September  we  entertained 
the  Conference,  clearing  from  the  registration  fee  $250.  Three  hundred 
dollars  were  subscri])cd  for  a  parsonage  at  that  time,  about  one-half  of  which 
is  paid.  This,  with  the  amount  cleared  at  Conference  time,  is  laid  by  as  parson- 
age fund.     The  Brotherhood  will  \nn\d  a  parsonage  this  coming  summer. 

We  have  as  fine  a  lot  of  church  workers  here  as  can  be  found  anywhere, 
a  territory  in  which  we  can  assuredly  build  for  the  future.  What  has  been 
accomplished  has  oidy  been  by  the  power  of  God  and  the  aid  of  the  Home 
Missionary  Society.  God  certainly  has  led  us  to  this  spot  and  is  surely  leading 
us  onward. 

Jt     ,t     ..< 

Meetings  at  the  Dugout  Schoolhouse 

Mrs.  Calltk  Ivixo. 

GOOD,  good,  good!" 
"What  is  good  ?"  asked  Leila,  as  Kate  came  skipping  out  of  the 
sod-liouse  in  which  their  father,  mother  and  the  six  girls  lived,  rang- 
ing in  age  from  two  to  fourteen. 
"Why,  papa  said  that  a  missionary  is  coming  to  preach    in  our  dugout 
schoolhouse  and  maybe  he  will  organize  a  Bible  school.'' 


The  Dugout   Schoolhouse. 


"Oh,  happy  day  !    How  did  he  find  it  out  ?" 

"Mr.  Long  had  a  letter  that  the  ILime  IMissionarj-^  Board  is  sending  a 
young  man  and  wife  just  graduated  from  the  Seminarj'." 

"Eastern  dudes,  eh?  My,  won't  they  think  we  are  grand,  living  in  a  sod- 
house  with  a  dirt  floor  swept  out  in  holes  till  one's  chair  turns  over  if  he  is  not 
careful  and  the  table  legs  must  be  propped  up  every  time  it  is  set?  The  cup- 
board only  a  box  with  a  curtain  over  it,  the  tablecloth  made  of  flour  sacks,  as 
also  the  towels  and  sheets;  yes,  and  the  children's  dresses  of  the  same  material 
only  colored  red  and  blue." 

"Do  stop,  sister ;  I  was  so  happy  but  you  make  me  feel  as  I  did  when  papa 
was  sick  so  long  last  summer.    I  thought  you  were  happy  too  a  moment  ago." 

25 


"So  I  was  when  I  thought  of  how  we  all  used  to  go  to  Sunday  school  back 
home,  dressed  like  other  people  and  we  could  hear  the  great  organ  and  the  sing- 
ing. Oh,  dear  me!  how  could  we  go  to  church  now  when  our  clothes  are  hardly 
fit  to  wear  to  school  and  poor  mamma  has  only  one  old  faded  dress  and  three 
of  the  little  ones  have  rag  moccasins  laced  with  coTds  ?" 

"Oh,  I  could  go  without  shoes  if  we  could  only  go  to  Sunday  school  once 
more,"  said  Kate. 

"But  perhaps  some  society  will  send  us  a  nice  box  of  clothing  like  they 
did  Mr.  Long's  last  winter.  Yes,  or  like  they  sent  widow  Jones,  a  barrel  full 
of  old-styled  jackets  and  worn-out  things  that  were  not  worth  the  freight  on 
them.  Just  old  rubbish  as  if  we  were  a  set  of  beggars.  We're  no  beggars  or 
paupers  either;  I  could  buy  what  I  need  and  pay  for  it,  too,  if  I  had  a  chance. 
You  know  that  I  worked  in  the  field  from  early  till  late  to  take  papa's  place  all 
summer  long,  only  to  see  everything  dry  \v,)  at  last.  Mrs.  Jones  has  worked 
the  same,  and  such  a  barrel !  If  that  is  what  is  meant  by  "Lay  up  for  your- 
selves treasures  in  heaven,"  then  I  don't  want  any  treasures.  Say,  wouldn't  it 
be  funny  to  see  some  of  the  stingy  people,  who  have  sent  their  old  clothes  they 
didn't  want  "for  His  sake,"  when  they  march  up  for  their  white  robes,  if  these 
same  old  gowns  were  handed  out  to  them  which  they  sent  to  Mrs.  Jones?" 


Home  of   Leila   and   Katr. 

"Dear  Leila,  please  don't  talk  so,  I  saw  the  things  sent  to  Mr.  Long's  from 
the  young  ladies'  class  and  they  were  all  good  and  nearly  everything  new.  The 
prettiest  little  dresses,  suits  for  the  boys,  an  overcoat  and  overshoes  for  Mr. 
Long,  and  a  new  dress  for  Mrs.  Long.  Then  there  were  stockings,  mittens, 
hoods,  caps,  toys,  and  some  nice  things  to  eat." 

"Hush,  Kate,  you  make  me  homesick.  How  would  it  seem  to  have  a  whole 
new  suit  once  more — shoes,  gloves,  and  all,  with  a  dollar  all  your  ov.ni  ?  And 
have  baking  day  again,  make  pies,  cookies,  and  stew  fruit  and  prepare  ham  or 
roast-beef  instead  of  just  beans,  beans,  and  those  sometimes  without  butter  or 
even  lard  seasoning.      Sh !     Mamma  is  coming." 

Most  of  the  neighbors  were  glad  at  first  to  hear  of  the  missionaries'  coming: 
but  as  with  Leila,  the  afterthought  was  painful,  for  how  could  they  "eat  them" 
and  "sleep  them,"  as  some  of  the  Western  people  say?  But  at  a  called  meeting 
held  at  the  dugout  schoolhouse  all  voted  for  the  meeting  willing  to  do  their 
share  of  the  entertaining.  None  having  a  spare  room,  beds  must  be  made  down 
on  the  floor  for  the  children  when  there  is  company. 

A  day  was  set  to  clean  the  Plain  View  schoolhouse  and  to  make  ready  for 
the  meeting.  Men,  women,  and  children  came  and  brought  their  dinners,  also 
mops,  rakes,  and  brooms,  a  barrel  of  water,  buckets  of  paste  and  newspapers, 
and  each  man  brought  a  post  which  was  set  up  for  hitch-racks.     The  children 

26 


cloaned  the  yard   and  smibbod   the  homo-made  seats,  while   the   women    and 
yminff  people  i)apered  walls,  washed  windows,  polished  the  stove,  and  mopped 
the  floor,  then  put  a  wliito  eloth  on  the  old  table  used  for  a  desk,  put  up  a  few 
mottoes,  plaeed  the  lamps  brought  from  their  homes.     All  seemed  pleased  with 
the  result  of  the  day's  work  and  hoped  that  a  dust  storm  would  not  come  before 
the  strangers  p:<it  ther(>.     Their  wish  was  prranted.     Sunday  was  an  ideal  autumn 
day.     Everybody  seemed  to  be  present— men,  women,  boys,  girls,  babies,  and 
dogs.     Some  of  the  i)oople  were  very  well  dressed,  all  w^ere  clean  and  neat. 
Some  wore  shoes  much  too  large  for  them,  others  had  none.     Part  of  the  chil- 
dren wore  old  sunnner  hats,  others  scarfs  or  sun-bonnets.     The  boys  tucked  their 
old  caps  in  the  desks.    Each  family  brought  -i  songbook  of  somesort  which  con- 
tained some  familiar  hymns.    Mr.  Long  drove  up  with  his  family,_the  mission- 
aries, and  their  little  "organ.     All  eyes  were  npon  them  to  see  if  they  were 
"stuck-up."     They  saw   two  modest,  plainly-dressed  people  whom  Mr.   Long 
introduced  to  each  family  as  Brother  and  Sister  Oliver,  and  each  child  received 
his  share  of  attention.     All  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief  as  they  took  their  places 
in  front,  even  Leila  wdiispered  to  Kate,  "I  am  not  afraid  of  them  if  my  dress 
i.s  old."     Mr.  Oliver  asked  them  to  name  some  hymns  with  which  they  were 
familiar,  seeing  their  books,  stating  that  he  would  furnish  song  books  for  the 
following    services    and    that    he    wished    to    form    two    choirs,    onel    from 
the  voung  people  and  the  other  from  the  children.     After  a  short  song  service 
andprayer,  Mr.  and  ]\[rs.  Oliver  each  made  a  little  talk,  saying  that  they  were 
brought  Tip  on  the  frontier  in  another  State.     Their  parents  being  poor,  each 
of  them  had  worked  their  way  through  college  and  the  Seminary,  now  they 
were  here  to  help  the  fathers  and  mothers  in  their  struggles  for  a  higher  and 
better  life,  to  help  the  young  peoi)le  in  their  training  of  mind,  body,  and  soul, 
and  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  boys  and  girls  in  guiding  them  to  be  such 
men  and  women  as  God  can  approve.   After  a  short  sermon  on  "God's  Love  for 
the  Sinner,"  they  were  dismissed  to  meet  early  for  song  service.    The  meetings 
continued  for  nearly  three  weeks.     Many  fathers,  mothers,  young  people  and 
ch.ildren  were  saved,  among  them  T^ila  and  Kate,  and  one  excellent  young  man 
was  called  to  preach  the  gospel.    A  church  of  fifty-two  was  organized.    A  Sun- 
day school  and  Christian  Endeavor  Society  and  Teacher's  Training  Class  fol- 
Icwed,  also  a  lively  Aid  Society  which  soon  fitted  up  a  little  vacant  stone- 
house  for  a  parsonage. 

After  the  pastor  and  wife  had  visited  all  the  homes  and  understood  their 
needs,  they  eaiised  many  boxes  of  warm  clothing  to  be  sent  to  the  needy  ones. 
So  Leila  and  Kate  could  say  once  more  that  they  each  had  a  whole  new  suit 
even  to  the  hood  and  gloves,  and  in  the  pocket  of  each  cloak  was  a  little  purse 
of  money  which  some  girls  had  saved  up  during  self-denial  week.  After  Leila 
and  Kate  had  talked  it  over  and  prayed  about  it  they  decided  to  ])ut  their 
money  into  the  Junior  budget  for  jMissions  and  Leila  expressed  a  desire  to 
become  a  missionary  herself.  The  Plain  View  Sunday  school  and  Christian 
Endeavor  were  the  delight  of  all  the  country  round,  and  not  only  were  the  two 
choirs  a  success  from  the  beginning  under  the  careful  training  of  the  pastor 
and  his  gifted  wife,  but  a  small  orchestra  was  installed  by  persmiding  the 
timid  young  people  to  bring  out  their  instruments  which  had  been  laid  away 
for  lack  of  strings.  The  much  loved  pastor  seemed  to  always  have  just  what 
A\as  lacking  to  fix  up  the  instruments  and  to  encourage  and  bring  out  the  best 
there  was  in  each  boy  and  girl  whom  he  met. 

Plans  were  being  made  for  a  number  of  the  boys  and  girls  to  enter  a 
Christian  college  as  soon  as  the.v  were  prepared  for  it.  The  iiastor  and  some 
of  his  unselfish  band  looked  up  a  church  location  in  a  new  railroad  town  near 
by  and  each  agreed  to  ))lniit  a  certain  number  of  acres  in  croiis  to  help  with  the 
building.  A  gospel  tcniu  was  also  organized  to  go  with  the  iiastor  to  hold 
meetings  in  other  cuiuuiuHitics.  'I'lius  the  gnod  wurk  go(>s  on  spreading  in  the 
home  mission  fields. 

27 


United  Brethren  in  Santa  Fe 

Rev.  N.  H.  Huffman, 
Superintendent  of  Spanish  Worh. 

At  the  southeast  corner  of  the  public  square  of  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico, 
stands  a  block  of  granite  with  an  inscription  stating  that  this  stone  marks 
the  end  of  the  Santa  Fe  Trail.  The  writer  of  this  article  spent  his  boyhood 
near  the  beginning  of  this  trail.  As  he  gathered  gum  from  the  resin  weeds 
in  late  summer,  or  hunted  rabbits  in  the  winter,  every  old  cowpath  and  Indian 
trail  discovered  was  confidently  affirmed  to  be  the  Santa  Fe  Trail.  But  little 
did  he  dream  that  one  day  he  should  live  at  the  other  end  of  the  trail. 

United  Brethren  preachers  and  people  have  traveled  much  on  the  old 
trail,  and  have  gone  far  beyond  its  limits,  but  not  until  the  closing  days  of 
1913  did  they  attempt  to  put  up  a  monument  at  the  western  terminus  of  the 
trail  in  the  historic  city  of  the  Holy  Faith  of  St  Francis. 

The  oldest  city  in  the  United  States  is  the  title  the  chamber  of  com- 
merce has  ordered  printed  on  its  ofiicial  envelopes.  But  is  it  true?  It  is 
not  our  business  to  contend  with  other  cities  which  dispute  this  claim.      The 


IIead(iuarters  of  Our   Spaoish-Amurieau   Missiun.   Sauta  Fe,   New   Mexico. 

question  of  the  antiquity  of  Santa  Fe  is  undisputed.  As  early  as  1605,  one 
of  the  Spanish  conquistadores  fixed  his  capital  here.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
plaza  still  stands  the  palace  of  the  governors,  erected  more  than  three 
hundred  years  ago. 

The  picture  is  of  the  youngest  church  in  Santa  Fe,  the  Hermanos 
Unidos  en  Cristo,  which  is  the  Spanish,  or  Mexican,  as  they  say  out  here, 
for  United  Brethren   in  Christ. 

The  securing  of  this  property  has  a  history.  While  prospecting  for  a 
house  to  rent  as  temporary  quarters  for  the  mission,  this  house  was  discovered 
vacant.  On  inquiry,  it  was  learned  that  it  was  in  litigation,  being  part  of  a 
bankruptcy  estate.  The  former  owner,  among  his  other  enterprises,  had  been 
running  a  saloon  and,  purposely  or  otherwise,  had  gone  into  bankruptcy.  It 
is  not  a  part  of  his  plan  that  this  house  should  fonn  a  part  of  the  estate,  but 
his  transfer  of  the  house  to  other  parties  was  shown  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
court  to  have  been  a  fictitious  sale,  and  the  receiver  was  ordered  to  sell  it  and 
divide  the  proceeds  among  the  creditors.  It  would  make  too  long  a  story  to 
speak  of  all  the  trips  I  made  to  Santa  Fe  from  Velarde,  the  individuals  in- 
terviewed, and  praying  done  before  the  property  was  turned  over  to  us. 


28 


We  have  here  a  story-and-a-half  house,  built  of  stone,  containing  nine 
rooms,  fully  wired  for  electric  lights,  and  with  city  water  installed.  Back  of 
the  house  stands  an  old  adobe  house  of  three  large  rooms,  which  may  be  used 
as  a  stable,  woodshed,  and  workshop.  The  lot  has  a  frontage  of  113  feet  and 
a  depth  of  3.33  feet.  The  garden  is  under  the  irrigation  ditch.  The  location 
is  only  three  blocks  from  the  capitol,  and  five  from  the  center  of  the  city.  It 
will  sound  incredible  to  the  readers  of  this  paper  to  say  that  such  a  property 
could  be  secured  at  the  low  price  of  $3,500. 

Rev.  C.  A.  Schlotterbeck  says  of  the  property:  "After  weeks  of  investi- 
gation, prayer,  and  waiting,  the  way  was  opened  through  the  courts  for  the 
purchase  of  a  property  for  the  use  of  our  Spanish-American  mission  in  Santa 
Fe.  This  is  a  splendid  property,  purchased  at  two-thirds  its  actual  value,  and 
adapted  to  our  needs.  A  suite  of  two  large  rooms  on  the  first  floor  answer 
for  a  chapel,  suitable  for  mission  work  among  a  people  for  whom  no  evangel- 
ical work  whatever  is  being  done  in  this  city. 

"Here  we  have  a  property  'beautiful  for  situation,'  in  the  midst  of  eight 
or  ten  thousand  of  our  own  citizens,  in  whom  the  Protestant  church  has  taken 
no  interest  and  to  whom  the  blessings  of  evangelical  Christianity  have  been 
denied." 

No  other  denomination  is  preaching  to  the  Mexicans  in  this  city.  The 
nearest  preaching  place  for  them  is  thirty  miles  distant.  There  are  a  number 
of  villages  in  this  section  of  the  State  which,  in  the  words  of  a  Mexican, 
never  have  known  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  Velarde,  well  known  to  the  Church 
through  the  school  conducted  there  by  the  Misses  Perkins  and  Haffner,  is 
forty-five  miles  to  the  north  of  Santa  Fe.  On  the  road  to  Velarde  there  are 
six  villages  with  no  Protestant  preaching,  save  in  one,  Santa  Cruz,  where  we 
recently  opened  work  in  the  English  language  and  will  soon,  God  willing, 
open  work  in  Spanish. 

So  it  appears  that  we  have  here  a  splendid  opening  and  an  opportunity  to 
do  our  share  as  a  denomination  in  bringing  within  the  reach  of  thousands 
of  priest-ridden  Spanish-Americans  the  blessings  of  an  open  Bible  and  a  free 
conscience. 

^     ^^     .4 

Shall  We  Enter  Open  Doors? 

THE  special  victories  named  in  the  foregoing  pages  are  from  only  about 
one-twelfth  of  the  charges  that  have  been  or  are  still  on  our  roll  for 
support.      Nearly  three  times  as  many  missions  have  passed  oif  from 
our  list  as  were  on  when  we  started  in  1905.      No  small  credit  is  due 
to  the  society  that  has  made  it  possible  for  the  conquests  achieved  by  these 
former  home  mission  fields. 

These  past  and  present  triumphs  should  thrill  the  Church  for  greater 
success.  It  will  not  do  to  stop  and  rejoice  over  the  past.  If  need  be,  for- 
getting the  things  of  the  past  and  press  on  to  Albuquerque,  New  ^Mexico, 
and  establish  ourselves  at  Santa  Fe  and  Santa  Cruz  in  the  same  State;  among 
our  Spanish-speaking  neighbors  at  Lake  Charles  and  New  Orleans  in  Louisi- 
ana. Shall  we  listen  to  the  urgent  calls  from  our  United  Brethren  families 
in  Texas  ?  Shall  we  give  hoed  to  the  many  appeals  all  the  way  from  San 
Diego  in  southern  California  on  up  the  Pacific  Coast  to  Bellingham  on  the 
Puget  Sound  in  northern  Washington  ?  No  such  challenge  has  been  put 
to  the  Church  as  will  come  with  the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal.  Must 
Idaho  and  Wyoming,  where  numbers  of  our  families  are  settling,  call  in  vain? 
Shall  ]\[ontana  be  taken  for  Christ?  One  of  our  appointed  home  missionaries 
wrote,  "I  could  put  one  thousand  churches  in  Montana  and  no  one  of  them 
be  within  ten  miles  of  another."  Will  the  Church  accept  the  challenge  from 
the  great  cities  of  the  Middle  West?  In  the  five  hundred  cities  of  America 
there  comes  a  wireless  message  of  distress  that  must  have  attention.      You 

29 


have  read  in  this  booklet.  "There  are  fiftj'  places  in  Chicago  as  promising  as 
Grace  Church  that  we  might  enter."  Shall  we  take  our  share  of  them  for 
Christ? 

Shall  we  enter  these  open  doors  and  increase  our  missionary  force?  Shall 
we  heed  the  urgent  appeals  to  advance  in  many  places  ?  Are  we  willing  to 
pay  the  price  for  greater  victories  ?  To  answer  "yes"  means  more  definite 
consecration  of  life  and  money  by  the  Church.  To  say  "go  forward  and 
possess  the  land"  means  larger  giving  for  some  who  are  able.  It  calls  for 
special  gifts  from  those  who  may  want  to  give,  in  one  of  the  following  ways, 
after  they  have  done  their  share  in  the  budget  for  all  the  benevolences. 

A  direct  gift  to  the  society. 

Local  churches,  Christian  Endeavor  societies,  Sunday-school  classes,  any 
organization  of  the  church  as  well  as  individuals,  can  have  their  own  pastor 
on  a  mission  field,  by  making  definite  gifts  to  his  support  and  receive  from 
our  office  a  monthly  report  of  just  what  has  been  done. 


riciisniii    \  i.'w    Cliurch,  Moiitann.       In  this  yrdiip  arc  Kc-vs.   A.   K.   Laiulis,   M.  S.  Bovey,  and 
Ira   IhuNlt'y.       The   last    named   is   the   pastor. 

Those  who  have  means,  but  need  the  income  for  their  support,  can  let  the 
society  have  the  money  on  some  definite  per  cent,  during  their  natural  life, 
and  then  have  the  money  go  to  the  work  of  the  society.  Some  may  want  to 
remember  Christ  as  one  of  their  heirs  in  the  extension  of  his  kingdom,  by 
executing  obligations  payable  after  their  death.  Such  arrangements  do  not 
interfere  with  any  business  transaction  they  might  wish  to  enter  into  during 
their  natural  life. 

By  making  it  possible  for  the  society  and  our  faithful  missionaries  to 
fulfill  the  task  that  God  is  placing  at  our  door,  you  will  be  a  share-holder  in 
the  victories  attained  and  can  rejoice  with  our  missionaries  as  they  come 
bringing  in  their  sheaves.  Not  only  that,  you  will  be  helping  to  solve  the 
great  religious  problems  that  are  now  facing  our  country  for  solution  and 

30 


your  iiifluoncc,  prayers,  life,  niul  gifts  can  lielp  to  hold  America  for  Christ 
at  thid  critical  stajic  of  its  r-i'ligious  history. 


A  Challenge  to  Advance 

THE  deepest  missionary  need  <if  uur  tinu?  is  the  need  for  the  develop- 
ment of  a  vitality  in  tlie  ('hui'ch  that  will  be  adequate  to  meet  the 
demands  of  this  hour. 

John  K.  Mott,  at  a  great  missionary  conventii:n.  said,  "It  is  an 
utterly  impossible  proposition  to  save  the  world  in  this  generation  without 
strengthening  the  home  base."  What  is  the  state  of  the  home  Church?  Is  it 
equal  to  the  task  (Jod  is  summoning  it  to  meet? 

Published  statistics  show  that  the  Protestant  Churcli  membership  in  the 
United  States  the  last  decade  was  just  holding  its  own  in  proportion  to  our 
growth  of  popidation.  Over  fifty  millions  of  our  people  attend  no  religious 
service  of  whatever  character. 

If  there  is  not  a  true  conviction  for  the  salvation  of  those  in  our  com- 
munity we  will  not  be  concerned  for  the  saving  of  those  afar  off.  If  there  is 
no  vital  experience  of  Christ  in  the  life  of  our  home  church  there  will  be  no 
impelling  necessity  to  make  him  knoAvn  to  tliose  in  darkness.  If  America  does 
not  solve  its  religious  problems  it  will  be  greatly  handicapped  in  its  world-wide 
operations. 

It  is  not  enough  to  win  this  country  for  Jesus  Christ.  It  becomes  an 
exceedingly  more  difficult  task  to  hold  it  for  Christianity.  We  blame  the 
church  of  the  past — of  Judea,  of  the  Roman  Empire,  of  the  Crusades,  of  the 
Reformation,  of  the  American  Colonies — because  it  did  not  know  the  day  of 
its  visitation  and  let  so  many  opportunities  slip  from  its  grasp.  Will  the 
f utiire  say  the  same  for  us  ? 

The  world  again  stands  at  the  crossroads  of  history.  A  few  brief  years 
will  fix  the  course  of  centuries.  A  noted  author  and  student  of  world  affairs 
wrote:  "What  the  United  States  of  America  is,  is  to  determine  the  character 
of  the  earth  in  the  next  ten  or  fifteen  years.  Great  crises  will  come  again,  but 
they  will  spring  from  the  crisis  of  our  day.  New  institutions,  new  nations, 
will  be  developed  but  we  shall  determine  whether  they  shall  be  Christian. 
Never  again  can  we  be  in  a  position  to  fix  the  future  of  those  who  come  after 
us.  No  generation  has  ever  faced  such  possibilities  of  victory  or  defeat  as 
dees  ours.  It  sees  civilizations  looking  to  America  for  guidance,  great  prob- 
lems awaiting  solution  in  our  industrial,  social,  moral,  and  religious  life,  and 
yet  sees  the  forces  of  evil  growing  more  aggressive. 

Our  Home  ^Missionary  Society  in  its  ^vork  is  helping  to  solve  these  prob- 
If  ms.  It  is  establishing  churches  in  cities,  the  frontier  and  the  needy  sections 
of  our  country  to  the  extent  of  its  ability,  by  supporting  missionaries.  Our 
hundred  new  missions  were  opened  last  quadrennium  by  the  assistance  of  the 
Society,  besides  these  about  a  hundreil  points  were  aided  each  year.  Our  mis- 
sionaries have  been  "path-makers''  for  they  have  leveled  down  the  mountains 
of  wickedness,  filled  up  the  valleys  of  sin.  smoothed  rough  places  of  unright- 
eousness and  straightened  the  paths  of  incomplete  truth. 

America's  moral  and  religious  needs  challenge  the  Church  of  to-day  to 
give  Home  I\rissions  earnest  attention  and  consideration.  America  faces  the 
greatest  problems  of  any  century,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  gospel 
is  their  only  solution.  The  immigration  question,  race  problem,  adjustment 
of  industrial  and  social  relations,  liquor  traffic,  crime  and  lawlessness,  indiffer- 
ence and  selfishness,  all  and  each  must  be  answered  by  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.  A  gospel-instructed  and  gospel-dominated  i)eople  will  harmonize  con- 
flicting forces  in  our  national  life  and  make  us  a  people  so  truly  Christian 
that  America  will  be  an  unanswerable  argument  for  Christianity. 

31 


<* 


A  STRIKING  ARGUMENT  FOR  HOME  MISSIONS! 

Showing  proportion  of  the  population  reported  as  Protestant,  Roman  Catholic,  and  "all  oth 
church  members,  and  proportion  not  reported  as  church  members,  tor  each  state  and  territf 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  UNITED  STATES  CENSUS  BUREAU 
o 

SOUTH  CAROUNA 

OEOAOIA 

NORTH  CAROUNA 

VIRGINIA 

ALABAMA 

MISSISSIPPI 

FLORIDA 

TENNESSEE 

KENTUCKY 

OIST.  OF  COLUMBIA 

INDIANA 

ARKANSAS 

OHIO 

TEXAS 

IOWA 

PENNSYLVANIA 

WEST  VIRGINIA 

DELAWARE 

MISSOURI 

MARYLAND 

NEBRASKA 

KANSAS 

MINNESOTA 

-WISCONSIN 

SOUTH  DAKOTA 

NORTH  DAKOTA 

ILLINOIS 

CONNECTICUT 

LOUISIANA 

WASHINGTON 

MICHIGAN 

NEW  JERSEY 

VERMONT 

OREGON 

COLORADO 

OKLAHOMA 

NEW  YORK 

NEW  HAMPSHIRt 

MASSACHUSETTS 

CALIFORNIA 

MAINE 

RHODE  ISLAND 

IDAHO 

MONTANA 

NEVADA 

WYOMING 

NEW  MEXICO 

ARfZONA 

UTAH 


I.         I  •'"OTESTANT  H   ROMAN  CATHOLIC  Mf   ALL  OTHER  BODIES 


NOT  CHURCH  MEMBERS 


:  ' 


PHOTOMOUNT 
PAMPHLET  BINDER 

Mancifocturad  by 

GAYLORD  BROS.  tfK 

SyrocuM,  N.Y. 

Stockton,  CaUf. 


BX9878.76  .A375 

Victories  under  the  flag  :  achievements 


Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Libr, 


1    1012  00045  7921 


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